LAXMI HIREMATH has taught Indian cooking for more than a decade and is one of the San Francisco Chronicle's most popular food writers. Author of the critically acclaimed Laxmi's Vegetarian Kitchen, she has written for such publications as Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Better Homes and Gardens, and Fine Cooking. Her signature line of spiced nuts, Laxmi's Delights, is widely available at gourmet food stores, including Dean & Deluca, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods.