Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi has opened up about her deep affection for Indian cuisine, revealing that while she initially struggled to adapt to the country's flavours, she eventually fell in love with regional dishes from across India. The remarks came on 11 November 2026, a day after her memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love' went on sale worldwide.

The Video and What It Showed

A video shared on the veteran Congress leader's official X account on Wednesday features Sonia Gandhi in conversation with her daughter and Wayanad Member of Parliament Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at the garden of 1, Safdarjung Road — the former residence of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in New Delhi. The warm, candid exchange touched on childhood memories, family meals, and the journey of a foreign-born woman finding her home in Indian kitchens.

Sonia Gandhi's Journey With Indian Food

'It took me time to get used to Indian food. It was difficult for me to enjoy Indian food right at the beginning. I didn't know how to cook when I came. But later, slowly, I learned,' Sonia Gandhi said, acknowledging the adjustment that came with leaving her Italian roots behind. She went on to list her current favourites: kababs, chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, dal makhni, Kashmiri kofta, and the Kashmiri leafy green dish 'haakh'. 'I love Bengali food. Believe it or not, I love Gujarati food, from Surat,' she added.

On the subject of everyday staples, the CPP Chairperson noted, 'From the day I came to this house till today, the only dal cooked is arhar ki daal, nothing else.' Her daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra chimed in, recalling: '…and Daal Chawal, we used to have it every day.'

The Khaandvi Moment and Memories of Indira Gandhi

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also a Member of Parliament and the sister of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, prompted her mother to recall preparing the Gujarati dish 'Khaandvi' for her children during their younger years. 'Didn't you use to make Khaandvi while we were kids?...can you imagine?' Priyanka asked. Sonia Gandhi replied on a lighter note, 'Making Khaandvi is easy.'

The conversation also touched on late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, with Priyanka noting, 'But, Dadi couldn't cook.' Sonia gently pushed back, saying that while her mother-in-law may not have cooked, she had a sharp palate and an instinct for improvement. 'She knew exactly how to improve something,' Sonia said.

How Food Connects to Her Story

In the post accompanying the video, Sonia Gandhi linked food directly to her most personal memories — including the moment she met her late husband, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. 'Food has always had a special place in my story. It was while looking for a good meal that I met Rajiv, and fell in love,' she wrote. She added: 'Years later, India came to me the same way, one meal at a time. At first the variety amazed me and the spice scared me. Now dal chawal is the taste of home, and I can't go a day without it.'

The clip forms part of the broader promotional activity around her memoir, which chronicles her decades-long journey from Italy to the heart of Indian public life. With the book now available globally, this glimpse into her personal relationship with Indian food offers a rare, intimate dimension to one of the country's most prominent — and closely watched — political families.