1. What were your favorite foods growing up? Why?
My mom's cooking -- I loved and continue to love all that she prepares. There is an old Indian saying that the real magic of good food is in the hands of the cook and my mother truly has that magic. My favorites from childhood are my mom's mutton curry and her spectacular stuffed breads (paranthas) with stuffings such as grated, spicy cauliflower, mashed potatoes or crushed, boiled peas.

2. What are your least favorite foods? Why?
There are very few things I don't like to eat, very very few. I am not big on raw oysters and for the most part prefer that my food not be alive when I eat it.

3. What is your beverage of choice?
I love fresh juices -- watermelon, guava, mango, and fresh coconut water. I do admit being partial to Coca Cola.

4. When did you get interested in writing about food?
I used to write privately for the longest time. In fact, I even got accepted for an undergrad in Journalism but my parents were insistent on a degree that would guarantee an income and so I became an engineer. I started writing publicly about seven or eight years ago when I began to post my food related stories on egullet.org.

5. Where and when did your love for food begin?
I have always loved to be in the kitchen -- the sizzling sounds of cooking foods, the alluring aromas of the spices, the intimate art of cooking has always provided me with great pleasure and to some extent even peace. My husband often jokes that he gets a great meal when I am in a foul mood because that is when I head to the kitchen and cook up a storm!

6. What are some tips you have for new food writers?
* Be on top of your game--know what is going on in the food world. If you are interested in restaurants, learn about the chefs, what it takes to cook/run/operate a restaurant. If you are interested in recipe development, learn to cook--you have to get your hands into the food to be able to truly write well about it. If you are interested in nutrition, learn by taking a class, working with nutritionists, staying on top of latest medical information. There is no substitute for sound knowledge.

* Learn about ingredients--whether you write about restaurants or your dream is to develop recipes for Bon Appetit, you have to learn about what things taste like, what ingredients can do. This knowledge will help you make your prose richer and more enticing to readers.

* Don't just focus on food magazines--there are plenty of magazines that write about food, not just food magazines. Parenting magazines, women's magazines and even some shelter magazines have food sections. Broaden your horizons.

7. How would you describe your cuisine?
Flavorful, spicy, sassy, fuss-less and easy -- the spices do the work so you don't have to!

8. What is your favorite spice on the rack?
Hard to choose! I guess I would say cumin. It is so versatile --it can be sizzled in hot oil, dry roasted, ground or used whole--and adds such a earthy flavor to dishes.

9. Who/what has shaped your cooking the most over the years?
I think everything -- we are all a product of our environment. All the lovely authors whose books I have read and cooked from including Julie Sahni, Mark Bittman, Leslie Revsin, Ina Garten and more. And restaurants where I have eaten -- Indique Heights, Rasika, and more and also, the friends who have cooked for me. They have all shaped the way I cook and create my dishes.

10. What is your favorite secret ingredient?
Spontaneity (also known to my friends as my lack of patience!)! When I cook, I love to play with my ingredients. I mix flavors, add different spices, cook dates and figs together to see what happens. It has never failed me! The kitchen, in my opinion, is not the place to be over analytical. Just put things together that you like -- simplicity works best. Then as you go along and get more experienced begin adding more complex ingredients and you will be creating superb dishes in no time.

11. What dish you do you recommend for the Indian cuisine novice?
There are some really fantastic dishes in Modern Spice. I would recommend the Fennel roasted cauliflower -- it really requires barely any preparation and yet when the cauliflower is roasted, it is so delicious.. it will make you wonder -- is it really so simple to create such flavorful dishes.

12. Do you have a foolproof wine or cocktail that complements most Indian recipes?
A lot of people who know a lot more about wines than I do recommend Gewü rztraminer with Indian meals. I do enjoy it but my personal recommendation is to drink what you like! I love cocktails with my meals and Modern Spice has a fantastic collection of cocktails like a Tamarita and a Lychee Martini.

13. When you are not at home, where do you eat?
Anywhere I can find good food -- the spicy hot dogs at my local 7-11, the biryani carts on the streets of Manhattan, the chaatwallas selling spicy street foods on the streets of Delhi and Mumbai. I love eating Thai, Malaysian and Burmese food.

14. What inspired you to start your own cooking school?
It just seemed like the next thing to do! I love to cook and to teach and really love interacting with people. I feel honored that I am able to share my passion in this way.

15. What is your best cooking tip for a home enthusiast?
Fear doesn't have a place in the kitchen. Don't be afraid to cook. If you cook up a disaster, well, that is why God invented the trashcan. Throw it away and start over. Cooking is about having fun and trust me, a meal cooked with love and passion has more taste than one that is cooked with precision and perfection. Just add a touch of fearlessness to your cooking, respect your ingredients and they will honor you with great dishes!