Hi,
I’m Deena and I am a food writer and I also run cookery classes. My recipes are my own, have influences from the world and have a an Indian strand running through them.
Vegetables/vegetarian items are often regarded as side-dishes. Pasta, pizza, risotto or lasagne…what else constitutes a vegetarian main meal, side dish or how do you entertain veggie kids and adults? Many would struggle with devising a colourful and lively, sense-rousing, and utterly delicious meal. What makes a meal to look forward to and that will really whet the appetite and enchant dinner guests, or ones family; a meal that is the stuff of blissful memories and brings happy faces together, excitedly at the dinner table.
‘More veg less meat’ and ‘meat-free Mondays’ are of increasing popularity as the messages are being infiltrated strongly through media. We know that there is a strong ethical and religious drive as it’s better for animals to be vegetarian, but a regular or irregular vegetarian diet is being adopted for health reasons. Vegetarian food is not just for vegetarians; often a gorgeous and aromatic meat-free meal just happens to be vegetarian. These days, an added impetus is that a meat-free meal is just cheaper.
Is someone who likes vegetarian food more explorative and worldly? Maybe so, but in any case we can always change the accent of a dish with new ways and new flavours. In fact you can completely transform a dish of aubergines using different spices and methods! Cooking foods using influences from the throughout world is akin to travelling…be it bringing out the adventurous side of us, or making us feel more educated…or even if it is just to show-off, it is fun!
Whatever the driving reason, there is more mass appeal for a meat-free meal. My vision is to bring gorgeous veggie meals to life with new recipes that are very much my own in a way that touches people’s lifestyles. The ordinary person may not want a gastronomic adventure worth ages of effort every day.
My vision is to share rousing, sensational world-influenced recipes for you the open-minded busy person who loves to eat. I’d love to know that you actually make these recipes, not simply read about them. Like me, many of my recipes have an uncomplicated Indian strand, but that’s the reality of modern cuisine, isn’t it? And I promise to share all this with you,with a story…its always more fun that way.
Keep telling me how you find the recipes, I love hearing from you
Warm wishes
Deena
Deena
they look like good recipes. We will try them out and we’re not even students. We just love Indian food! How about a recipe for a good chapati?
Hello,
Thanks for the good feedback! A good chappati…sure, I can do that in another post…have to say, that chappati is more about technique (and practice) than ingredients. When my full site launches, I can do a video and hopefully when my classes start, that’ll provide opportunity to refine that technique!
best wishes
Deena Kakaya
Hi Deena, great site! btw u got any ideas how to spice up the india maggi noodles? i love ’em but i would like it to be cheesy too. any ideas? would appreciate that.
once again osm site!
Hi Nish,
Thank you for the encouraging words!
Maggi noodles….wow that brings back memories! I used to improvise with instant noodles as a student.
A quick recipe I use, is to simply fry off an onion with a couple of cloves of garlic and cumin seeds, a couple of red dried chillies, turmeric and then shallow fry some mixed vegetables. I reccomend green beans, cauliflower, peas and potatoes. As a student, I used the frozen mixed veg packets. I then added 2-3 chopped tomatoes and some cumin powder, corriander powder, garam masala and ginger. I then added about 1/2 litre of water, you can moderate according to how much gravy you like. I would then get this to simmering point and then, just put the noodles in and cook until they have softened.
I have even tried instant noodles in thickened (from boiling) whole milk, sugar and cardomon and saffron…there was no sev available at uni!
Let me know how you get on!
Warm wishes
Deena
Its really easy and tasty with healthy food. Thanks Deena
Hello Deena,
Everything about this website is fantastic! It’s so nice to see healthy Indian veg dishes that aren’t loaded down with oil or ghee. Your spin on some of the traditional recipes makes them special…, and makes me want to start experimenting in the kitchen!
Keep up the good work!
Regards,
Radovan
Love your recipes..and you write so effortlessley 😉
Recipes sound so yummy..im going to have to try some out x
Thank you Sheena-so very Kind of you! I’d love to know what you think of the recipes when you try them 🙂
best wishes
Deena xx
Deena… Your site is awesome!
Really chuffed for you
xxx
Thank you Leena, very kind of you!
Deena
xxxx
Hi Deena,
We eat far too much meat and its great to get some ideas for using vegetables in different ways. The meals I’ve tried have been given a double thumbs up by both my husband and son- believe me this is a huge complement. Looking forward to more ideas.
Thanks, Jo
Thanks Jo, I’m so pleased to read your feedback! Do let me know which recipes you try and I hope to see more feedback from you xx
Hi Deena, you have a beautiful site. Very well written neat recipes. Have bookmarked a few. lookin forward to more.
Hello Namrata, what a lovely and kind message, thank you so much. You’ve made me smile! I hope you’ll try the recipes out and let me know what you think. Come back soon x
Thank you for dropping by my blog.
Great to connect with you 🙂
thank you for stopping by my blog!
Hi! It’s great to connect with you x
I have nominated you to the Versatile Blogger Award.
The rules as per my understanding are;
• Give thanks to the person providing your nomination.
• Include a link to their blog
• Nominate 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award
• Finally, the hardest, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself.
All the best, Cheers
Hi Deena. Your recipes look delicious. I adore vegetarian food and always try to have meals that are packed full of vegetables! Thanks for liking my recipe and I’m definitely inspired by yours. Best wishes, Jade
Hello, thank you so much for the very lovely comment. I’m so glad that you like my recipes! Please keep coming back and I hope you’ll try them. I am enjoying your site and it’s great to connect with you xx
ciao! luvFAB blog.
thebestdressup
I have been spending a lot of time today browsing your blog. Such an amazing collection of vegetarian recipes. I would love to try some of them for sure. I am so glad to have landed here.
Hi Anita, thank you for your kind and generous words! I’m very pleased and flattered that you are enjoying my recipes. It’s great to connect with you xx
Hi Deena,
I have enjoyed your blog posts as well as my interactions with you on my blog. Thank you for being a great blogging friend! I have nominated you for the WordPress Family Award (http://wp.me/p3Nc97-hM). Paying it forward is entirely optional.
Happy holidays! – Ahila.
Oh the cauliflower sounds marvelous. I fell in love with cooked cauliflower while in India . The rest of my life I only are raw!
Many thanks for the follow. Please visit again soon and often!
Hello Anne, it’s lovely to hear from you. Thank you so much for your kind words. Cauliflower is marvellous at soaking up flavour isn’t it x
Love gobi!
Love the look of your blog, would like to follow you but can’t find the button! Perhaps food overload is blurring my vision? Would appreciate it if you’d be able to point me in the right direction… Many thanks!
Hi! Great hear from you. Two things to do, either o via your dashboard where I am following you and follow back, or email subscribe. X
Thanks! Didn’t think of going via my dashboard!
Hi Deena
I am nominating you for the WordPress Family Award. Thank you for being so supportive – I have really enjoyed getting to know you! Acceptance is optional. A link to your blog and the rules for this award can be found on my post here – http://selmastable.wordpress.com/2014/01/02/awards-and-accolades-2013. Looking forward to reading your posts in 2014! x
Hello Deena,
I was wondering if you would like to try our new Dodo Chilli Dipping Sauce.
Please let me know if you would like a free jar?
Thank you for your time.
Kind
Regards,
Damian.
Hello Damian,
Thanks for getting in touch.
I would love to try them, thank you for offering. Let’s talk over email deenakakaya@gmail.com
Thanks
Deena
Hi Deena– Your blog is beautiful! Photos so bright and appealing and I love your way to explain it all. So glad I found it. thanks.
Hi Rhonda, thank you for your kind words, I really appreciate it. It’s great to connect with you x
Hi Deena, I don’t know why I did not follow your blog before! It is lovely, very beautiful photographs and well thought out recipes. Is there a way to get your posts in my reader and not just by email? I check my WP site more than my email 🙂
Hi Apsara, thank you so much for the kind words. I’m so grateful. I’m self-hosted, so wont come up in the reader.
X
Deena
ok, then will follow by email 🙂
Hi Deena…
So nice to have discovered your blog through foodies 100 .. How have I missed it in soo many years…:(
I m a vegetarian and run a vegetarian journal too.. Would love to connect ..
Do visit my space … Sandhya’s Kitchen
Thank you for connecting with me Sandhya, I will be visiting your site soon x
Hi everyone!
To those of you who have expressed an interest in coming along to my cookery classes, the dates for the next two classes are up. I look forward to seeing you soon
http://www.deenakakaya.com/cookery-class/
See you soon
x
Hi Deena. Cool blog.
Thank you!
Hi Deena! Do you mind passing along your e-mail address to wholenourishment@gmail.com? I am e-mailing a few fellow whole food bloggers proposing a mini virtual collaboration, and I wanted to included you!
I really enjoy reading your blog. It helps me validate my decision to go vegetarian/vegan. So my readers might get to know you, I nominated your blog for a Liebster Award. If you choose to play along, here’s the link: http://vegancookingforyou.wordpress.com/2014/07/30/is-the-liebster-award-dairy-free/
Great recipes on here Deena – keep it up!
Thank you Henry!
Hi Deena,
I have to say there are some awesome recipes on here. I really appreciate you sharing them.
As a vegetarian myself, I can now be more inventive in the kitchen without resorting to bland and dull foods.
Thanks!
Thank you for the kind and generous comment Joseph, really glad you like the recipes!