45-year old art teacher at North American International School Dubai, Ritu Chaturvedi loves vegetarian food that is simple and easy to cook. This is one of the main reasons she set up her blog Fuss free Cooking. The blogger was born and bred in Delhi, and now lives in Bur Dubai with her husband and two teenage sons. Apart from cooking, Ritu loves painting and a leisurely read.

About the blog

I started Fussfreecookingblog.wordpress.com in 2012, to share my recipes with colleagues as they loved the food I brought to work. I initially created a Facebook page and posted recipes on it, but I soon moved onto creating my own blog. Blogging is one of my biggest passions as I get to share a selection of tried and tested recipes. Readers can find a selection of cuisines from Italian and Mexican to Indian on my blog.

My favourite sweet treat

I absolutely love macarons and can eat it anytime of the day.

This year I want to visit

Milan and Rome. I love cheese and everyone knows Italy has some of the best cheeses in the world.

A hidden gem in Dubai

Little Italy, an Italian restaurant opposite Bur Juman, which serves only vegetarian food. I love the pasta barbaresca and risotto funghi zafferano there.

I learnt cooking from

My mother! She was an excellent cook and tried innovative vegan recipes daily.

In ten minutes, I can make

A semolina pancake with bell peppers and a yoghurt dip.

A foodie personality I’d like to dine with

Matt Preston, the English-Australian food journalist and television personality. I would make kachori for starters, pumpkin and potato curry for mains, and strawberry srikhand with maple glazed pistachio for dessert.

Top tip

To make saffron milk for using in desserts, crush the saffron threads before soaking it in hot milk for a few minutes. This gives the dessert a better flavour and an intense colour too.

Weekday cooking

My boys love Italian, Mexican and Chinese food, so I try to experiment on a daily basis. When I’m craving an Indian dish, I like to make aloo paratha (potato stuffed Indian flat bread), and eat it with a yoghurt dip.