A cooking show and a congregation put Garland's Desi community in the spotlight

Garland's South Asian community is making news on two distinct fronts this week. A debut cooking show is pairing South Indian culinary traditions with the flavors of Texas, celebrating what it means to hold a hyphenated identity in the Lone Star State. At the same time, a newly formed Asian-Indian congregation has officially launched in the United States through the Church of God movement, deepening the region's faith landscape for the South Asian diaspora.

🎬 'KanDeepa Texan' debuts as a South Indian and Texan culinary crossover

A new cooking show called 'KanDeepa Texan' is drawing attention from food lovers and culture observers alike, according to a report from Texas Standard. Created by Deepa Shridhar and produced by Identity Productions, the show takes its name from a playful portmanteau: 'Kan' rooted in the South Indian identity of its creator and 'Deepa' anchoring it in Shridhar's personal story. The program explores what happens when two powerful culinary traditions are placed in the same kitchen: the tangy, tamarind-forward rice dishes and lentil stews of South India meeting the smoke, spice, and hospitality that define Texas cooking. Shridhar frames the kitchen as a place of cultural negotiation, where South Indian ingredients and techniques inform — rather than compete with — Texas staples. The show speaks directly to audiences who navigate hyphenated identities every day: South Asians who grew up in Texas, or curious Texans who want to understand the remarkable regional depth of Indian cuisine. By centering South Indian cooking specifically, 'KanDeepa Texan' moves beyond generic representations of Indian food and into nuanced territory — Desi regional pride expressed through a distinctly Texas lens. It is a reminder that the Dallas–Fort Worth area's large South Asian population is not only building community but also shaping the cultural conversation of the state. [1]

🪔 Asian-Indian congregation officially launches in the United States through Church of God

A new Asian-Indian congregation has launched in the United States, according to an announcement published by Church of God Ministries on its news platform, jesusisthesubject.org. The Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) is a Protestant movement with a global reach, and this launch marks a meaningful expansion of its work among South Asian diaspora communities in America. Asian-Indian congregations within the Church of God serve Indian-origin Christian families who seek worship experiences grounded in their own cultural and linguistic traditions — a growing need as the South Asian population in the United States continues to rise. The announcement reflects broader trends in American religious life, where immigrant and diaspora communities are building dedicated faith spaces that honor heritage while engaging with American civic life. Church of God Ministries coordinates international work through its global strategy arm and has increasingly directed resources toward diaspora outreach. For the Dallas–Fort Worth region, which is home to a large and diverse South Asian community, the establishment of a dedicated Asian-Indian congregation offers a new gathering point for worship, fellowship, and cultural continuity. The congregation's launch is part of a wider pattern of South Asian Christian communities formalizing their institutional presence across suburban Texas, from faith formation to community services. [2]

Sources: [1] Texas Standard · [2] Church of God Ministries