You admitted here that you met Salman Rushdie when he was married.
>> Mm-hm.
>> And tried to fight that and didn't want to get into a relationship, but you did.
>> I was in my 20s, when I met Salman and it
was really like literally fireworks because we met at Liberty Island
at that talk party and for us Indians, he's like Hemingway.
I couldn't talk about my life without talking about an eight-year relationship.
>> You always talk about, you changed your name.
>> Yes. [LAUGH] >> Why did you change your name?
>> The book is also an immigrant's story.
I came to this country when I was four.
My mother came here when I was two and I stayed back with my grandparents.
I think I wanted to fit in.
I think this book is also about feeling like an outsider.
I had one foot in Indian culture and one foot in American culture.
And I think a lot of us feel on the outside looking in or
like we don't belong.
When I was in high school, I did, I changed my name.
I mean, I cringe about it know but again, to be honest-
>> What was your name?
>> Angelique.
>> Angelique, that's exotic.
That's good.
Because you were this tall.
>> Yes I was this tall at 13.
>> And people were calling you names?
>> They used to call me black giraffe.
>> Black giraffe?
And that doesn't feel good when you're in high school.
>> No, it doesn't, it really doesn't.
I think a lot of us tend to put away what we think
of as a weakness or what sets us back [CROSSTALK].
I think that all of those difficult things and me going through them made me
a stronger woman today, and I value those experiences.
Because even those hard, hard things and
painful things are a benefit if you can learn from them.
>> [APPLAUSE] >> We're back with Padma Lakshmi, and so
what are we making?
>> Come over here, we're making yogurt rice.
This is just plain white rice and you're gonna put the yogurt in here, go ahead.
>> Just pour it in?
>> Yeah, uh-huh. >> All right.
>> Now you wanna roll up your sleeves, Ellen.
>> Do I? >> Yes,
you do because we're gonna mix this with our hands, you're gonna kneed it.
In India, we eat with our hands.
>> Yes, but- >> Just one hand, just one hand.
>> But what about like spoons, can you mix it with a mix?
>> Just try it.
>> All right.
>> This is yogurt rice.
In India, yogurt for us is salted.
Today, I'm making it with my own line of rices which are vegan,
they're called Padma's Easy Exotic, but you can make it with any white rice.
For us, yogurt is salty, so you're making that.
Good! You're doing a great job.
>> That's a lot of salt.
>> Not for that much amount of rice.
Here we have some white lentils, and
you're just frying them in some canola oil.
>> This is vegan yogurt?
>> Yes, it is.
>> Okay. >> Don't worry, I would never
give you dairy.
>> All right, okay. >> [LAUGH] And
then these are black mustard seeds, and you're gonna hear these pop and
crackle when they get hot, like you hear microwave popcorn doing that.
I turn this up and let that go.
>> How long do I?
It feels mixed.
>> [LAUGH] >> Keep going.
You're doing a beautiful job.
And now I want you to mix it with these pomegranate seeds.
>> Okay. >> Which is beautiful.
This is a sweet and savory dish.
>> Could have done that about two minutes ago but all right.
>> [LAUGH] >> You're doing great.
>> Thank you so much.
>> This is some green chilis, you see how they're popping?
>> Yes. >> You see them pop out?
>> Yes. >> That's how you know it's ready.
And then you just want to put a little bit of asapatita seasoning.
>> What was that?
>> Asapatita?
I went to high school with her.
>> [SOUND] >> [LAUGH]
>> [LAUGH] All right, watch out.
>> Uh-huh, all right, yeah.
>> I'll come here, okay.
That's wet by the way if you wanna.
And this goes on, and that's it, your recipe is done.
Let's turn this off and- >> We could have used that spoon earlier.
>> [LAUGH] >> I know but I just wanted you to do it
with your hands, here.
>> All right.
>> Because this is a great thing to take to a potluck, or when the-
>> I mixed it with my hands, you guys.
>> [LAUGH] >> Your hands are clean.
>> No, they are clean.
>> And this is something that it should be eaten room temperature.
It's great for like a buffet, or in the summer, it's great to serve cold.
And there's a lot of this weird stuff, like when I came to this country,
yogurt is sweet here normally, and fruited, and I didn't understand that.
There was all these misunderstandings.
How is it? >> Wow, that's so good, and so peppery.
>> I know. >> [LAUGH]
>> They told
me you started to eat spicy food now.
That was what they told me back there!
>> My god, that's hot.
>> [LAUGH] >> Uh-oh.
Here, let me just give you some yogurt to
cool off. But when I first,
that I came here on- >> [LAUGH]