Rishikesh born Nandini is passionate about food, and you can taste her love of food in every dish she prepares.
Nandini started in the corporate world, with an MBA in her pocket and a good job at a shipping company in Mumbai. But soon she found out that her creative spirit required a different environment, one that allowed her freedom of expression. Moving into event and concert organisation, she had a fabulous time, and yet this work still did not hit home in terms of her own creativity.
Encouraged by her husband's grandmother Swarnlata, lovingly called 'Matai', Nandini began studying and experimenting with family recipes. Changing ingredients here and there, or adding something that would give a classic dish a new zest and more depth. During these cooking explorations, Matai became one of her greatest supporters, and it was at that time when the spark of passion for creative cooking got ignited.
Nandini's kitchen nowadays is best described as Asian Fusion with influences from Indian, Arabic, Nepali and Chinese cuisine. She uses mainly local produce and only natural ingredients.
During the lock-down this year, her cooking skills were discovered by a larger audience. She began offering daily homemade lunches and dinners, delivered to people's doorsteps. That her freshly prepared dishes are very tasty, was information that spread quickly.
Some of Nandini's homemade specialities:
+ Steamed Vegetables with baba ganoush type salsa (eggplant, lime, chili, sesame)
+ Mushroom & Butter Momos
+ Vegetable Pulau with Cashews
+ Vegetable paneer
+ South Indian dishes, e.g. Upma
+ Kaju or Besan Burfi with fresh Cardamom
While Nandini continues to offer cooking classes (!), monthly meal subscriptions and adhoc home delivery, she is starting her own food label "Rishikesh Cooking" with homemade chutneys, jams and pickles.
"Tomato Chutney a la Matai", is absolutely delicious. Our tastebuds rejoiced and we will soon need a new jar. Coming up next: Lime pickle according to her mother’s recipe with fresh lime fruits from the family's own land outside Rishikesh.
For homemade meals and products, call Nandini:
Rishikesh Cooking
Nandini Sharma,
Kailash Gate,
Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh
phone +91 8534 061198, 8218 501386
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