Basics First

Her passion for cooking is as well-known as her successful role as an educationist. After sharing her recipes of everyday vegetarian fare in a book released last year,Swarn Gakhar is back with A to Z of Cooking (Unistar Books; Rs 200),albeit in a Hindi version. “The success of my first book took me by surprise. But at the same time,there were many queries from readers and the publisher asking for a cookbook in Hindi,” said Gakhar. The former head of the Economics department at Government College for Girls,Sector 11,Chandigarh,has been dishing out delectable treats from her kitchen for years now. Her second book is aimed at young women,and men too,who are novice in the kitchen and want to better their skills. “This book is all about getting the basics right since I find that a lot of people get intimidated with cooking,” said Gakhar,whose book was launched on Saturday. “Planning well is the biggest advice I can give to anyone looking to be a successful cook,” said Gakhar,who has dedicated an entire chapter to getting started. Vegetarian food is her area of focus,so is jhatpat khana. “Bookstores are flooded with books on gourmet cooking,especially international fare. I wanted to present Indian vegetarian dishes,which are equally appetising to serve and savour,” said Gakhar. We found the section on party cooking and no-oil gravies particularly useful,including the recipes sans onions. “I love to experiment and don’t shy away from conversing with chefs in restaurants if I like something,” said Gakhar.