Growing up, this writer used to despise cooking, mainly because it was too much work for a simple plate of roti-sabzi or chai-time snacks. But when we recently came across six cookbooks for children conceptualised by chef Michael Swamy, we wished to roll back the years and try these recipes. Swamy, who is also a culinary designer, photographer and writer, released the Junior Chef Cookbooks series (Om Books International) for children last month. The books are not only interesting in terms of recipes, but they also make for a visual delight.

Each of the six books — Mitts & Bakes, Sweet Somethings, After School Snack, Dips & Sticks, Edible Love and Sips & Slurps — have 12 recipes and are apt for kids above the age of eight. “My team and I observed that more and more children have been trying their hands at cooking and kitchen-related activities. There’s a lot of curiosity around food, but there aren’t many cookbooks for children. So we thought it would be nice to create a few that would help the young ones start with something fun,” says the chef.