ABOUT THIS COOK:

I am the author of The Spice Spoon, a food-memoir-style blog based on my gypsy lifetyle and my Pakistani-Afghan-with-a-hint-of-Iranian background. I am a homecook who adores to feed my family and friends. I recently spent 6 1/2 lovely years working and living in Rome. I grew up in Africa, Asia, America and Europe.

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  Alligator, giraffe and impala meat at the Carnivore restaurant when we lived in Nairobi.

• What do you cook when home alone?
  Masoor dahl (lentils) and Basmati or spaghetti con pomodorini pachino.

• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  A pressure cooker which I bought in Rome. Sadly it is now out of production.

• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  5