Hello, I'm Anjali. Welcome to my kitchen.
GetToKnow started as a battered notebook of recipes I scribbled down to keep a little of home close after moving from India to London. It grew into this website. Every recipe here has been cooked, tasted, tweaked and cooked again in an ordinary family kitchen, because food should be a joy and never an intimidation.
Whether you’re after a quick weekday supper, a comforting breakfast or something special for the weekend, pull up a chair. The chai is on.
From my aai's kitchen in Pune to a home in London
I grew up in Pune, in a home where mornings began with the hiss of mustard seeds in my aai’s kadhai and the smell of fresh poha drifting through the flat. I never wrote a recipe down. I simply watched, tasted and learned by heart.
Then I moved to London, and suddenly the flavours of home were a flight away. I hunted for curry leaves in corner shops, argued with unfamiliar ovens, and learned to rebuild my aai’s dishes with whatever the local market had. Along the way, London’s wonderful mix of cultures opened my kitchen to mezze, bakes, street food and so much more.
Today I’m a full-time homemaker, and cooking is how I look after the people I love and how I stay connected to home. GetToKnow is where I share everything I’ve learned, mistakes included.
Anjali Deshmukh
What you'll find here
My kitchen promises
Four simple rules sit behind every recipe I publish. If a recipe doesn’t meet them, it doesn’t go on the site.
1. Cooked before it’s shared. I make every dish myself first, and again if it needs fixing.
2. Honest timings. Prep, cooking and, yes, the washing-up are all accounted for.
3. Everyday ingredients first. Where something is hard to find, I’ll suggest a smart substitute.
4. Clear steps, no jargon. If I use a technique, I explain it, usually over a cup of chai.
A little more about me
Always on the hob: a pot of masala chai, strong, sweet and slightly too gingery.
Comfort food: a plate of hot poha with a squeeze of lemon, just like Aai made.
Golden rule: taste, taste and taste again before the food reaches the table.
London favourite: wandering the local markets for fresh herbs, spices and something new to try.
From my kitchen
