Last week she wrote a frantic email to ask for recipes that will help her impress without stress.

Until now, her repertoire of recipes includes -

- an excellent cup of chai,

- perfect sunny side up eggs

- and a couple of dozen versions of instant maggi noodles, depending on what was available in the fridge to throw into the pot!

I let you in on some of the recipes I am putting together for her.

Aglio Olio e Peperoncino

Serves: 4

Time taken: 20 Mins.

Ingredients

500 gms spaghetti

1/2 cup Italian extra virgin olive oil

12 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced

1 tbsp red chilli flakes

salt and freshly crushed black pepper

1 cup finely chopped corriander, celery or Parsely

How to make it:

- Heat 1 litre of water till it is boiling

- add salt and stir in until dissolved

- Add Spaghetti and cook till "al dente" - slightly hard in the middle when bitten into.

- Drain and set aside.

- Heat Olive oil in a large flat pan

- When hot, add garlic, chilli and black pepper.

- Allow to cook for 1 min.

- Now add cooked spaghetti and chopped herbs and mix well.

- Serve immediately.

Photograph: Stock Xchange

Photographs are for representative purposes only.