RONEL Naidoo is often found cooking up a storm in her kitchen and now she wants to show others how to do the same, with her new cookbook The Pocket 109 Cook Book.
Originally from Phoenix, Durban and now living in Wilgeheuwel, Roodepoort, Gauteng, the 32-year-old author, food blogger and recipe compiler began learning the basics of cooking while in primary school, from her grandmother.
“My grandmother is the reason behind my passion to cook. She loved cooking and entertaining the family on weekends with all her delicious meals.
“If there was a birthday, she was the one baking the cake and I would be right next to her all the way, wanting to help and get my hands into everything she was preparing.”
Close to her Indian culture, Naidoo said her cookbook targeted beginner and experienced cooks, who were interested in cooking true Indian South African dishes.
“Readers can explore the many wonderful and easy-to-follow recipes from the first dish to the last and wow their guests and family all year round with recipes to suit every occasion.
“This soft cover pocket first edition cookbook makes it easy to carry around and prepare any of your favourite dishes on the go,” said Naidoo.
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Among the recipes you will find are for poultry, seafood, mutton and lamb, and vegetarian dishes, as well as for breads, marinades, pickles and baked goods.
She said wanting to make people happy, had inspired her to write.
“For many years, even since my grandmother passed away, I have been compiling recipes and recreating Indian dishes.
When I saw the happiness on everyone’s faces after serving my dishes to my family, friends and colleagues over the years, as well as the numerous requests for my recipes, I became inspired to share my recipes with the world and write my very own cookbook.
“All the recipes come from friends, family, food lovers and me, which I have researched, tested, tweaked and compiled over a period of time, so I could add into the cookbook only the best and most delicious recipes.
“I wanted the book to be one from which a food lover would want to prepare and enjoy every dish instead of just having a few favourite recipes as per my own experience with the many cook books I own.”
She said the book included
a few favourite recipes from around the world, which she had tweaked and recreated in an Indian style.
“The book is available on Amazon, the printed copy price is expensive but the e-book is around R100,” she said.
For enquiries about the book, visit www.thundafund.com or e-mail rjk.naidoo@gmail.com
