About

“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces—just good food from fresh ingredients.”

Julia Child

I was born and raised in Delhi, India. When I was 17, I moved to the United States with my family. I’ve lived in Delhi, Los Angeles, Oregon, and New York.

I’ve always loved fresh, wholesome, and seasonal cuisine since I was a little girl. My grandfather used to squeeze fresh orange juice for all of his grandchildren every morning, but only when oranges were in season. I can still see his skinny arms pressing down on the manual citrus juicer in our kitchen if I close my eyes. With each drink of that juice, I could sense his delight in providing us with true, uncomplicated nourishment. 

My childhood experiences have shaped who I am today and have influenced my cooking and eating philosophy. Growing up aromas of fresh herbs and spices, such as freshly cooked basmati rice with cardamom, have always appealed to me. As I moved around the dining room, setting the table, I could smell the sweet aromas of roasting spices and feel the warmth from the oven as my mother and grandmother caught up on each other’s days, shared local gossip, and gave updates on the family, all while cooking a delicious meal. Eventually, I stopped setting the table and started cooking with them in the kitchen. Initially intimidated and overwhelmed, I gradually learned how to utilize spices, distinguish them by their aromas, and to cook without measuring or even using recipes.

Food and recipes have been an important part of my life. In 1995, I met my husband over a samosa recipe. And I have been exploring and having fun in the kitchen ever since (does it surprise you that I have a degree in Chemistry and MBA in marketing). My friends and family were always asking me for recipes, so I decided to start this blog. My kids, who are both vegetarians and who enjoy delicious, healthy, home-cooked meals, would often help me in the kitchen. They wanted me to save the recipes, so they could access them whenever they wished. 

I have experimented with various cooking styles and techniques. I discovered the magic of blanching vegetables and cooking them to the perfect level of crunchiness — no more mushy asparagus or cauliflower for me! Cooking is a relaxing and creative outlet for me.  

My desire to learn classic techniques inspired me to take cooking and baking classes at the French Culinary Institute (now called the International Culinary Center) and the Natural Gourmet Institute (now part of the Institute of Culinary Education). In 2012, I graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I was trained in over 100 dietary theories and studied various healthy lifestyle coaching methods.

My passion for cooking isn’t limited to my kitchen, though. I am lucky enough to live in New York City, home to some of the most outstanding restaurants, farmer’s markets, and cafés in the entire world, and my family and I plan all of our vacations around… you guessed it, food. Whether it’s around the corner from our apartment or halfway around the world, we all love discovering hidden gems and exploring new neighborhoods in search of the perfect meal.

I have been a vegetarian since my late teens, but I’ve also experimented with vegan, gluten-free, and high-protein vegetarian diets. Today I consider myself a vegetarian plant-forward foodie who occasionally consumes dairy and eggs but never meat or seafood — hence most recipes on this blog are vegan while others are simply vegetarian; it all depends on what I feel like cooking that day!

So, I hope my recipes pique your interest, intrigue you, and most of all inspire you to prepare healthy, whole-food, plant-forward meals at home without meat. Bon appétit!