Vasantha Prasad was born in Bangalore, India, and developed a passion for vegetarian cooking in her late teens. Living in a country renowned for its exotic spices and wide variety of vegetables, not to mention age-old family culinary secrets, she learned to prepare healthful and tasty vegetarian delights.

She received a B.A. in economics, political science, and sociology. She has been happily married for thirty years to Balasa Prasad, a physician, and has one daughter, Bindu. She works as a full-time office manager in her husband's office. Her hobbies are cooking, reading, and gardening - she grows several herbs and vegetables in her own garden.

When she came to the United States in 1972, she was surprised to see that there were so few vegetarians. Since then she has had a dream of writing a cookbook with recipes that skillfully blend the enticing flavors of the East with the quick and practical methods of the West. This is her first cookbook.