“I want to be everyone’s favorite ice cream” | Pooja Bavishi, Malai Ice Cream

Malai Ice Cream, a brand redefining what ice cream can be by infusing South Asian flavors into an American classic. Behind the brand, there’s Pooja, the founder of Malai and Malai is her love letter to her identity, culture, and community. We dive into how she is embracing her Gujarati-American roots to challenging what "authenticity" means in food, expect laughs, spice, a honest conversation about what it means to belong.

📣 GET 15% OFF SCOPES!! 🍨

Use code HungryImmigrantPodcast at any Malai store to enjoy the offer - limited to the month of July only!

This special episode of The Hungry Immigrant is brought to you in partnership with Neerja PR, and was shot on location at the Brown Girl Clubhouse, right in the heart and heat of New York City.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro

02:43 - What is Malai Ice Cream?

04:19 - How Pooja’s cultural roots shaped her food journey; why spices belong in ice cream

08:34 - Ice Cream vs. Kulfi vs. Gelato vs. Sorbet; Ice cream is air?! (Overrun explained)

14:59 - Joy over calories: ice creams are about moments in life

18:27 - Malai’s growth & The Malai Cookbook: Fried Ice Cream Pie

22:54 - Sambal Survey + Malai ice cream taste test

27:41 - The Hungry Journal: Pooja’s love for Gujarati food

30:49 - Malai as a reflection of Pooja’s identity & why ‘authentic’ is personal

32:57 - The flavor that almost didn’t make the menu: Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

34:29 - Hungry Questions

36:51 - What’s next for Malai: Malai Cookbook Tour (details below!)

-

🎟️ Get your tickets to Malai cookbook tour - You’ll try sweets from the book, meet Pooja, and get your book signed.
🍨 Key Dates:

July 16, 6:30pm | Binding Agents, Philadelphia

Sweet Treats, Signing & Author Talk in conversation with Chef Jen Carroll
July 24, 7pm | Essex Market, New York City

Sweet Treats, Savory Bites from Dhamaka, Book Signing & Author Talk with Kristen Kish!
July 29, 7pm | Madison Street Books, Chicago

Sweet Treats, Signing & Author Talk in conversation with Molly Yeh
More info on: https://www.malai.co/cookbook-tour

FOLLOW POOJA & MALAI

https://www.instagram.com/malai_icecream/

https://www.instagram.com/pooja_bavishi_/

FOLLOW US

⁠⁠@abangbrian⁠⁠

⁠⁠@hungryimmigrant⁠