Dunfermline mum talks of 'stressful but exciting' Masterchef appearance

A Dunfermline mum has described her experience on Masterchef as "exciting but stressful" as she aimed to impress with her culinary skills.

Vijaya Kunaparaju appeared on the popular BBC One show and cooked a range of dishes inspired by her south Indian roots.

The 37-year-old says the show is a lot harder than it appears on TV.

She told Kingdom FM: "When I watched the episode it looked like a piece of cake but trust me we were cooking in a pressure cooker in there.

"It looked so cool and calm, but it's not like that. It's an absolute nightmare in the kitchen.

"I just focused on the day because each day was really stressful.

"They are long, waking up at 5am and starting at 6.30am/7am.

"You start with your interviews and explaining your dishes, then when you come to cooking you'll be pretty much knackered but still you need to perform your best in the time.

"There's so much they can't fit into a programme. It's two full days of cooking trimmed into a one hour show."

She also says the equipment used in the show is different to what she is used to and wants to challenge herself in a new environment.

She says her cooking inspiration is her mum, having watched her cook at home from a young age.

Vijaya's first stint on Monday saw her cook a butter chicken curry, with rice topped with pomegranate, cashew nuts and curry leaves and spiced potatoes served in a rice cracker and puri bread.

She had to cook again to book her place in the second round, making a vegetarian thali using ingredients provided by the show.

In 75 minutes she made a paneer curry, lentil dhal, cucumber raita, onion pakora and cumin rice with spiced potato stuffed bread.

She added: "I said before I went on 'it's just a cooking show why are people getting emotional, the food came out so nice'.

"But when I was there, I cried. The pressure, all of the emotions, the passion, I get it. When you are in that environment it doesn't compare to anything else.

"It was a really nice experience that I will remember for a lifetime."

Vijaya returned to the kitchen on Wednesday and took part in the "pot luck supper dish" challenge in a bid to make it through to the quarter finals.

In one-and-a-half hours she made an Indian sharing feast, something she says she does often at home.

She cooked a chana chaat, which is chickpeas cooked in spices. It was served with a crispy papad, a cracker made with pastry bread, mixed vegetable bhajis, manchurian cauliflower, which was deep fried and covered in soy sauce and ginger, and three different chutneys.

Judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode were impressed with her dishes and agreed that she stay in the competition for a little while longer, where she cooked a Hyderabadi dum byriani with a Salan gravy and cucumber raita.

Unfortunately, time got the better of her and her food failed to impress. John said her chicken was dry and along with Gregg, agreed her presentation was "rushed and untidy".

Sadly she did not make it through to the quarter finals.

Speaking on the show she said she had "mixed emotions", adding: "I was hoping to get through to the quarter finals.

"My heart belongs with food."

But despite the result she says being on Masterchef was a "bucket list moment".

She said: "I wanted to do something like this before I turn 40. That's ticked off so I'm very happy with that.

"I could see a lot of stress on my face but everyone was saying I looked really cool.

"There were some bits I have mixed feelings about but I'm so proud of myself that I could do my best even under the pressure, and was fighting for each round."