About Tina

Hi, welcome to my Indian cooking website. I was born and raised in India, to parents who loved to cook. My Papa even ran his own restaurant for a while. People would travel from out of town just to enjoy his chicken curry!

Below is a photo of me with my siblings (I am the skinny child, second from left), posing like a model! My brother Jasper became a photographer when he was just 13 years old, and we were his guinea pigs as he perfected his techniques.

I was 15 years old when our family managed to get green cards and emigrated to the USA, landing in San Francisco, California. After finishing high school in Berkeley (still my favorite town, home away from home!), I drove south to San Diego to go to college. That’s where I met my husband while working in his family’s Indian restaurant.

Below is a picture of me from those happy days, soon after my wedding. You can still see the “mehndi” (traditional henna tattoos) on my hands.

Then fate dealt a tough blow. At just 27 years old I suffered a devastating stroke. I woke up in a hospital bed with much of my body paralysed. It was alarming to realize several years of memories had completely vanished from my brain. I was also unable to speak or walk.

This where my ancestry of being a Sikh came to my rescue. I am a full blooded descendent of warrior tribes from India’s wild North West Frontier region. (My mother’s maiden name, Randhawa, literally translates to “Battle Strike!”) Giving up, or giving in, is simply not in our vocabulary.

It took months of frustrating effort, but I regained my ability to speak fluently again. Next I tackled my mobility. It took years of frustrating rehab but I went from being paralyzed and bed ridden, to using a wheelchair, then a walker, and eventually walking on my own with a cane.

I am still partially immobilized on my left side, and I can’t use my left hand at all. But I haven’t let that stop me from living a full life. I have taught myself to do all my cooking with just my right hand; at times happily cooking for family gatherings of 20 or more.

But it wasn’t just all me. I was blessed to have a husband and my parents-in-law who unfailingly stood by my side. I couldn’t have made the recovery I did without the enormous care, love and support they provided.

Above is a photo of my beloved late father-in-law, surrounded by a gaggle of grandchildren from his numerous sons. He truly exemplified for me what selfless caring and unconditional love looks like.

This is me now, in the photo below. With my special cutting board, I am able to do all my cooking with just one hand. Always look on the bright side!

Thank you for visiting my cooking blog, and taking the time to read my story. I dedicate this blog to my dear daughter, Kavitta, and to all the daughters out there that would love to learn a little about cooking with love!

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the cooking techniques I share here.