As Sydney’s nights cool down, VIVID’s Fire Kitchen turns up the heat. SBS Spice’s Suhayla Sharif and Dilpreet Kaur Taggar followed the scent of the subcontinent to Darling Harbour, where South Asian-inspired vendors — Pocket Rocketz, Ogni, and Spice Zen — brought the fire, quite literally. From reimagined Aussie snacks to the roots of the humble masala dabba, hear how these makers are keeping flavour, flame, and tradition alive. In a festival of light, fire and spectacle — what role does culture play on the plate? Full episode now playing.

A lot of people don't understand Indian food. They get a bit confused. The menus are large, and for me, it was all about, how do I make my food more understandable for a larger audience, not just Indians.Kabir Singh from Pocket Rocketz on making authentic Indian food accessible

We wanted to create unique story of migration. So how, in a modern Australian way, do different cultures come together and celebrate food?Rashedul Hasan shares the origin story of Ogni

Australians still don't want to talk about spices. They get concerned and apprehensive when you talk about spices. There are still a large part of Australia that doesn't understand spices, doesn't know spices, don't want to touch them.Co-founder of Spice Zen Aditya Swarup on Australia's cultural resistance to spices.
SBS Spice is your go-to for South Asian Australian culture, exploring what makes us tick—or ick. Catch us on your favourite podcast platforms: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube and the SBS Audio app. Or tap the audio player to listen to the full episode.
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