Home cooking: Summer potato salad

I come from a Pakistani and Indian background when it comes to cooking. Every aspect of my culture has a food related to it. For the monsoon season, for example, we prepare fruit- and floral-inspired dishes with lots of colors to remind us of the coming of the harvest.

I learned to cook when I was about 13. We were a big family. As my mother and aunts would prepare traditional foods for celebrations, or even regular Tuesday night meals, my sisters and I would help. It was communal and fun.

My Catholic faith is a direct reflection of why being a chef appeals to me. The food-artistry is inspiring, and breaking bread together, sharing it and receiving it brings us closer to serving God and one another.

— Kiran Burgess prepares dishes for events at St. Ann Roman Catholic Church in Hagerstown. Burgess is a personal chef working in Hagerstown. For more information about her business, call 240-520-4277 or go to www.kiranssweetworld.com. For more information about St. Ann, call 301-733-0410.



Summer potato salad

2 to 3 oranges, chopped
1/4 cup diced red onions
3 to 5 red potatoes, boiled whole, cooled and diced (should make 1 to 2 cups)
2 green onions, sliced fine
1/2 teaspoon ground red chili (cayenne or Indian)
1 tablespoon ground coriander seed
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, chopped fine
1/2 teaspoon salt 
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste



Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for 2 hours. Serve with your favorite barbecued meats.

— Courtesy of personal chef Kiran Burgess