Welcome to CraveableEvery day most of my thoughts are consumed with what I’m going to eat next. Literally every waking moment. If I’m not thinking about food, I’m asking my friends what they ate for breakfast, aimlessly strolling through supermarkets, or just scrolling through endless dishes on social media.
And since I think about food all day, when I’m hungry and need to cook, I’ve become very good at making dishes that specifically suit my cravings, which is kind of how this book was created.
I want this book to be a collection of simple (or simple enough!), trusted recipes that you can turn to to take some of the decision making out of your day—for when you need something spicy, salty, sweet, fresh, or just need to make a quick meal that’s still delicious. It may be that it’s super warm outside and you want something bright and fresh; perhaps you’re bored at your desk and need something spicy to perk you up; or maybe you’re just feeling like you need something cozy and comforting after a long, cold day.
As someone who usually shares their recipes on TikTok and Instagram, having them all written down in a book is so fantastic. Believe me, I know the hassle of watching something online, pausing and scrawling down notes to try and replicate it at home, and never quite knowing if you’re doing it right. I also really love flicking through books for inspiration and knowing that they are more rigorously tested than a random recipe online, and hope this book can be that for you!
As much as I might like to be, I’m not a planner, especially when it comes to food. I understand and admire those who can meal prep, but the joy for me is creating something that just really fits what I need in that exact moment—I never really know what I’m going to eat in the evening on the morning of that same day, let alone the weekend before! It’s just not how I cook. And though the world is always telling us that we should be meal prepping, batch cooking, and generally filling our fridges with as much food as possible, the 30 minutes that I spend at the end of each day making myself something delicious is as satisfying as it gets for me. Because of this, most of the recipes in this book use simple ingredients that you might already have at home or, if not, can easily be picked up from your local shop. Where slightly harder-to-find ingredients have been used, I have always tried to list a simple substitute that can be used without impacting the end result. There is also a full list of simple subs on pages 22–23.
Saying that, I don’t want you to feel scared of using what you’ve already got in the pantry instead, or changing things up to make the recipes feel like your own. Be brave and adjust things to your taste and enjoy the journey along the way—just don’t forget to taste as you go!
Above all, this book is yours and I hope that you turn to it time and again on those days when you just can’t figure out what to cook. Fold the pages, write in the margins, spatter the recipes with sauce, and, most of all, enjoy!
—Seema
Copyright © 2025 by Seema Pankhania. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
