I am Padma Kumar - creator, writer and photographer behind MyGoodFoodWorld. Thanks for being here!
I am an Early Childhood Entrepreneur, Recipe Developer, Blogger, mum to two lovely daughters and wife. I spend my time between England and India. In India I call Chennai (Madras) home and in England it is Manchester 🏡
I have loved cooking ever since I can remember! This love for cooking intensified with the arrival of my daughters. I have raised my daughters to be healthy eaters (by an large - they do love instant noodles!). As a mum, I am happy to say that they enjoy a wide range of good food 🙂
As parents, I believe, it is our duty to give our children the gift of good (and varied) palate and good nutrition. It is also our duty to teach them to make smart food choices and develop a positive relationship with food.
As an early years entrepreneur, I have set up and managed preschools and after schools clubs in India. During the course of my work, I have worked with children with varied diets, food preferences, allergies and intolerances and helped scores of parents solve their mealtime battles (besides other parenting woes they face!). My recipes have helped many children turn from fussy/picky eaters to good, healthy eaters.
As a recipe developer and food blogger, I have set out on this journey to share easy and healthy vegetarian, vegan and allergy friendly recipes with you, my readers. Eating healthy does not mean that you have to compromise on flavor!
My cooking is all about simplicity, ease and flavorsome food. I do this by using spices, herbs and other store cupboard ingredients which, we often do not give enough credit, are superfoods in their own right!
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What will you find here?
You will find here E-A-S-Y vegetarian and vegan recipes with a good mix of grain free, gluten free and allergen free food from India and around the world.
I believe that everyday cooking should be easy, hassle free, nourishing and, of course, tasty. These qualities are reflected in all my recipes. My instructions are simple and detailed enough even for a beginner to understand and get the desired outcomes.
What do I cook and eat?
If this question was asked of me 20 years ago, my answer would have come out, as a pat, Indian and only Indian! However, now the answer will be slightly different. In a nutshell I would say that my cooking is 80:10:10 - 80% (still) Indian, 10% world cuisine and 10% fusion cooking!
I am vegetarian by choice and a lot of what I eat is vegan. There are days when I feel like having a gluten free or grain free meal.
“You are what you eat” is something I believe in strongly! I, therefore choose to eat right and fresh. OK, I am no saint! and I do succumb to the occasional treat food! But by far and large, it is good food, that is cooked with a good heart that I believe in.
More about my 80:10:10 cooking
Being born and raised in India, I have grown up (and loving!) Indian food. But what is Indian Food?
When I hear people say "I at Indian" I often wonder what their definition of Indian food is! There is so much to Indian food! Does this single term justify the diversity and variety of the food that 1.4 billion of us eat?!
As you may know, India comprises of 28 states and 9 Union Territories. The food of each state of quite different from the other - it is like having 28 different countries within one! And then there are the culinary variations within each state! India is a melting pot, not only of cultures, but also of cuisines and therefore, in my opinion, there should be more than just "Indian food" to describe the wide variety of foods, flavors and tastes that is part of our everyday life.
My roots belong to the state of Andhra Pradesh in South India. My parents and forefathers hail from this beautiful state where rice and spice are the staples! The food from Andhra is in my DNA 😂
Long before I was born, my family migrated to City of Steel, Jamshedpur - an industrial city, where people from all over India migrated for their livelihood. Jamshedpur, in a sense, is a microcosm of India. Growing up here, I was exposed to food from different parts of India. My cooking repertoire is, without a doubt, influenced by the varied food and flavors that I have been exposed to since I as a child - be it capsicum zunka from Maharashtra; beans postu from Bengal; green moong dal from Punjab, mung lentils with coconut from Tamil Nadu or this incredibly delicious bitter melon recipe from my home state, Andhra Pradesh.
As a family, we love food and flavors from other parts of the world as well - this flavorful spiced vegan cous cous salad inspired by the flavors of Morocco is one that I make quite often. Italian food is something we all love the most (next to Indian food, of course!). This super easy and hearty marinara sauce and this versatile vegan pesto are saviors on those days when I already have a lot in my plate and cooking is the last thing on my mind! This tray bake teriyaki noodles is something that I make on Sundays. All of these dishes have found a place in my heart and my plate!
Being a recipe developer, I cannot help but tweak recipes! In the words of my daughters - I find it nearly impossible to follow a recipe without adding my own ‘twist’ to it....hahaha! I love playing with flavors and spices and creating fusion recipes - Sweet Potato Soup, Zucchini Boats, (Indianized!) Pumpkin Banana Bread and this one pot spicy pasta recipe are some recipes that have become family favorites😎
That is the story of my 80:10:10 cooking
The food scene at home when I was growing up
I grew up in a large household with about 13 people - family and staff - and food for that many people! In addition to this, we had, at least, 2 unannounced guests everyday! My grandfather - a devout, pious man - believed that the Lord comes in the form of unannounced guests to test the sense of charity and compassion in his devotees. Therefore no guest that ever came home was seen off without being offered something to eat. There used to be food, food and more food all around us all the time! And so much variety! yum!!
The staff at home were mostly from the Northern parts of India and so there was North Indian food - dal (lentils), sabji (vegetable dishes), roti(flatbreads) and so on. Us family members loved our traditional Andhra food. Then there was the 'fancy food' (as my dad used to call it!) for us kids i.e. anything but traditional Andhra food. This used to be the food scene on a regular day in our household. And now just imagine how it would have been during festivals and celebrations! 10x 😆
The Family Head Chef - Mum
I must mention my mother here. A lovely lady blessed with such culinary skills that can transform any 3-4 basic ingredients into a delectable dish 😍
Like most ladies of her generation, she has spent most of her life in the kitchen, making sure all our food requirement and demands (read tantrums!) were taken care of - ever so tirelessly, with a smile and so much creativity! She always had some new dish to surprise us with! Growing up, every meal time was so much to look forward to, all because of her enthusiasm and passion! ❤️
My mum had some help in the kitchen - for the pre cooking and post cooking chores- however, cooking was her department! She was particular about that. What is most admirable is that years and years of cooking for so many people and so many varieties has not diminished her love for cooking nor her creativity in the kitchen.
When my daughters were born, this is the advice my mum gave me - "no matter how busy you are, make sure you cook fresh, albeit simple, food for your kids". These words have stayed with me and no matter how busy I am or how crazy our routine gets, I cook simple, fresh food for my family, almost everyday (although I have learnt some pretty neat batch cooking and ingredients prepping tricks along the way 😃)
P.S: I must confess - much as I love to cook, I hate cutting veggies! 🤷
My entry into the world of cooking
I have loved cooking since I was a teenager. I remember making my first dish, independently, when I was 14 years old.
It was a complicated recipe that involved stuffing tomatoes and deep frying them (so much for healthy cooking!!).
Throughout my school and college years, I found this love for cooking becoming deeper and deeper. I used to cook for family, for friends, for my teachers and just about anybody that I could! Internet wasn't born at that time and recipes were not as easily available then, as they are now. My recipe sources and inspiration used to come from the many cook books, magazines and newspaper columns that I used to scour for recipes! My mum was (and still is) my ever dependable guide and supervisor.
I remember the first ever recipe that I developed - it was an Indo-Chinese dish. Vegetable dumplings in a delicious sauce. I served it with fried rice. That day is still vividly etched in my mind. I had some friends coming over for a meal and I wanted to create something special for them. My friends loved it and I remember being so chuffed about it!
Note to self: Remember to find that recipe and recreate it.
Even today, a few decades since that first recipe that I developed, every new recipe that I develop excites me the same way as that first experience! I just love the whole process - from conception to the actual dish. In a sense every recipe that I create is my baby!
My Family
My family - my husband and two beautiful daughters - fill my world with love, joy and pride!
Like me they are foodies as well 😊 They are also the chief tasters and critics!
Contacting Me
You can reach me at [email protected]
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See you in my posts. Thanks for reading! 🤗