BRIEF PROFILE:
India’s most celebrated cookbook author, not only founded the largest publishing house of Cookbooks in India but is also the force behind a successful chain of Cooking Academies.
Q) Share your experience judging Mallika-E-Kitchen.
I have been judging Mallika-e-kitchen since 2012. It’s always been a pleasure working with the LG people, they are very well organized. And all the contestants are very much competent, they know what they are cooking and they do a very good job.
Q) What made you enter in this cooking world?
Cooking has always been my passion. I don’t know when it turned into my profession. It was a very enjoyable journey and I enjoy cooking from my heart.
Q) What is your favourite cuisine?
I like Thai food, Thai curry and rice.
Q) How do you put innovation into your cooking?
Today you need innovation and creativity in food, because people are bored of eating the same food. At times, when I eat something somewhere and I feel coming back and trying that. But if I lack some ingredients for that recipe, I use something different. I think of other creative ingredient and I use it that turns out well. This is what fusion is all about, it’s like picking up things from kitchen combing them and creating magic out of that.
Q) Besides cooking what are your hobbies?
I have my grandchildren and I love playing table tennis with them. That is what they do when I reach home; they say dadi come and play with us.
Q) What do you advice to the office goers?
I understand that the girls are really busy nowadays. They don’t have time to cook. So they can make their cooking faster and healthy, if they have a correct recipe. And that is why I am creating recipes for such people who are on the go, who have less time. Use the microwave, use your creative instincts and cook healthy for the family.
Q) Any new book you are coming up in 2016?
I have some books in the pipeline. Some are already printed; the latest ones are just 100 calories having each recipe within 100 calories to keep you fit and healthy. I have book on olive oil. I have healthy cooking soups and salads. And the regular ones in the regional languages.
