How Padma Lakshmi's stepdad became the curry leaf king of California
Padma Lakshmi's stepfather, Anand Prasad, right, and his nephew Vinay Pal stand among curry trees at his farm in La Puente, Calif. (Jason Armond / ...
Padma Lakshmi's stepfather, Anand Prasad, right, and his nephew Vinay Pal stand among curry trees at his farm in La Puente, Calif. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)On a private road in the Avocado Heights neighborhood of La Puente, Anand Prasad's farm appears mirage-like in the dust — a surprising swath of tropical green. A few thousand curry trees occupy his modest few acres of land: 18- to 20-year-old plants lush enough to hide in; vigilantly pruned younger ones with lanky trunks and scruffy tops, Seussian in their teenage awkwardness; and eager seedlings that seem to answer the question of whether the 70-year-old farmer might retire anytime soon.