Cooking up a storm

Online cooking guides can be a great way to get started in the kitchen. Photo: istock

Be it a jazzed up version of instant noodles, or the tenth attempt at baking sourdough, the pandemic has turned us all into home cooks. With a fair share of hits and misses, we learnt to navigate the kitchen better, some of us for the first time. Amid the increasing popularity of take-outs and eating out, the lockdowns reminded us that nothing is more comforting and healthier than home-cooked meals. This is the culinary spirit that National Cooking Day, a US-based holiday on September 25 celebrates. To mark the day, here's a curated round-up of some cooking channels on social media that hand out tips, tricks and recipes which can help you up your kitchen game:

Reel tricks
Mumbai-based chef Guntas Sethi Bhasin has a knack for turning complex recipes into easy-to-follow, bite-sized Instagram Reels. From berry yoghurt parfait and methi matar malai to Korean chicken wings and Nasi Goreng, Bhasin has got you covered.

LOG ON TO: @chefguntas on Instagram

Bake it right
Eggless red velvet cheesecake brownies, tiramisu tart, coconut and date cookies, lemon loaf cakes and triple chocolate doughnuts - these are just some of the drool-worthy recipes that Shivesh Bhatia, a baker from Delhi, has for every season.

LOG ON TO: bakewithshivesh.com

Back to basics
Helping jazz up everyday ghar ka khana is creator Kabita Singh who also shares cooking hacks. From paneer paturi, momos and jalebis to instant kadhi and bread rasmalai, Singh has a vast repository of recipes. For beginners, Singh has a specially curated section which tackles basics like making rice, rotis and sabzis.

LOG ON TO: youtube.com/c/KabitasKitchen

Green ideas
Food blogger Vindhya Karwa puts together tried and tested vegetarian and vegan recipes from desi, Italian, Pan-Asian and other cuisines from across the globe. Choose from one-pot Thai-inspired brown rice meal, stuffed potato Mediterranean tapa, muhammara, gnocchi and more.

LOG ON TO: @vinsplate on Instagram

Wisdom on a plate
Shanthi Ramachandran is an ex-banker, grandmother and a food blogger who has home-style recipes such as ragi uthappam, ribbon pakoda, methi thepla and more up her sleeve, along with a treasure trove of stories to share.

LOG ON TO: @shaanthram on Instagram