Your hometown and your favourite thing about it?
I live in Pune on the Western part of India. The thing I like most about my town is its energy. It's an important educational center in India which attracts lot of students and youth to the city. It is also very famous for bakery products and numerous hill stations around.
Favourite type of food?
I am a pure Vegetarian. My favorite cuisine is Italian and Indian. My favorite dish is penne pasta with Neapolitan sauce.
Favourite restaurant?
My favorite restaurant is ‘Bukhara' at Hotel Maurya Sheraton in New Delhi, India. It's best known for its Black Dal which is cooked in an earthen pot.
Favourite recipe?
My favorite recipe is ‘Palak Paneer' (Spinach with Cottage Cheese). Here is my recipe for it.
Ingredients:
½ kg Spinach, 1 pc brown cardamom, 2 - 3 cloves, 3-4 peppercorns, 3 - onions chopped, 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp mango powder, 1 ¼ tsp salt, 2 tomatoes chopped, 100 grams cottage cheese cut into 1" cubes
Tempering:
1 tbsp butter, 1" pc ginger cut into long juliennes, 1 green chilli slit into long pieces, ½ tsp red chilli powder
Method:
1. Break the spinach leaves into small pieces.
Wash leaves in plenty of water & keep aside to drain.
2. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan. Add cardamom, cloves, & peppercorns.
3. Add onions and cook till light brown.
4. Add ginger, garlic and green chilies. Stir on a low flame for 1 minute. Add fenugreek leaves.
5. Add all the spices & stir on a low flame.
6. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook for 3 -4 minutes till well blended.
7. Add spinach and cook uncovered for 10 -12 minutes on a low flame.
Remove from the flame & leave to cool.
8. Blend the cooled mixture along with ½ cup water, just for a few seconds to a coarse paste.
9. Boil 1 cup water and add the spinach paste to it. Simmer, uncovered for 4-5 minutes.
10. Mix the cottage cheese in with the cooked spinach. Bring it to the boil and then simmer for 2-3 minutes until the cottage cheese turns soft. Transfer to a serving dish.
11. Heat 1 tbsp butter. Add ginger & green chilies. Remove from the flame. Add red chili powder and pour this tempering on the hot spinach mixture. Mix lightly and serve.
Favourite market?
My favorite market is Chandni Chowk in New Delhi. It's a heaven for creative minds.
Favourite place to travel to?
Salzburg in Austria and Kerala in India. Salzburg for its scenic beauty and Kerala for its exotic appeal.
Dream Destination
Bahamas without a doubt. It's white sand, blue sea and exotic wildness is something I would love to explore.
What do you enjoy most about making your products? Where do you draw your inspiration from?
I enjoy the challenge to make each of my creations standout by itself and look unique. I draw my inspiration from the different cultures and rich heritage of India. I try to combine the Indian art and fabrics with a modern touch to give a contemporary look.
How long does it take?
It takes anywhere between 8-10 days for me to design each creation. Each creation involves around 8-10 processes right from putting down the design on paper to the finishing of the product. The most interesting and challenging part of the designing process is when I go out to source the right accessories for the design I aspire to create.
In your words, what makes your products unique?
I would not want to sound as someone bragging about her own work. However, I have not seen similar creations on the internet. I believe my products are unique because they involve different forms of creative skills. I mix and match variety of fabrics, colors, Indian motives, accents and different embroidery techniques.
Anything else you would like to share?
I hope to be appreciated for my creative ability and inspiration and create a name for myself in the world of home décor.
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