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It is 1:00 AM. In a dimly lit kitchen in a Lucknow haveli , a grandmother is teaching her granddaughter how to make the perfect shahi korma —a recipe that is 150 years old. The rest of the house is asleep. "You must fry the onions until they are brown like your skin in the summer," Grandma whispers. The granddaughter, who lives on instant noodles, learns patience. The oil spits. They giggle quietly, careful not to wake grandpa.

In many urban Indian families, domestic help is a reality. The "Didi" (elder sister) who comes to clean is a complex character in the family story.

Meet the Patels. Grandfather (86) sits on a chowki reading the Gujarat Samachar . He is the CEO of the family. No financial decision is made without his blessing. Grandmother (78) rules the kitchen pantry; she knows exactly how many jars of mango pickle are left.

Indian daily life happens outside the home as much as inside. The balcony or the verandah is the family's hybrid workspace. In Kolkata, the adda (intellectual gossip session) is a ritual. In Chennai, the tiffin center is the second living room.