Respect Mother Earth: Padma Lakshmi cooks up a children’s book with a message

In 'Tomatoes For Neela', Padma’s words are brought to life with beautiful artwork by award-winning illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal. Photo: AP

Neela is a young girl who loves cooking with her mum. Saturday is her favourite day of the week. That’s the day they go to the green market.

So begins Padma Lakshmi’s charming entry into the world of children’s book, Tomatoes For Neela, which mixes the author’s memories of family cooking with practical food advice, a nod to farm workers and even a pair of recipes.