“You must try my signature soft-baked cookies. They’re soft on the inside and crisp on the outside,” she grins, revealing a row of pearly white teeth, as she deftly removes a tray of chocolate chip and red velvet cookies from the oven.
To her loyal customers, Monija is known as the curly-haired, friendly baker and founder of Sweetoothache.
To her patients, she is known as Dr Nair the dentist, an advocate of disciplined dental care.
The 28-year-old started her love affair with baking in 2015 during her third year in dental school when she realised there wasn’t a decent bakery anywhere she could pop into for a sugar fix.
“So I got to baking, from cupcakes to cakes and then the idea just came — why not use my baking skills to earn a little side income? My first customers were my best friends, coursemates and lecturers. That was all I did after classes — bake,” recalls Monija.
Six years on, this dentist now juggles her hectic six-day week at the clinic with her business as a professional baker.
“When I’m not working, I’m baking,” she jokes, adding that she often gets asked the same question — how does she juggle her time?
“There are 24 hours in a day and what you do with your time is important and entirely up to you,” adds Monija, who admits that sleep is her only downtime.
“I get messages from my customers about how much they love my cookies and that’s honestly an amazing feeling. It keeps me motivated.”
But compliments aside, Monija has become used to the looks of utter shock on her customers’ faces when they learn that she’s a dentist by profession.
“You’re a dentist and you’re advocating sugar,” has now become an exclamation that she’s ready with an answer for. “99% of society still consumes sugar whether they know it or not. And I make it a point to reduce the sugar in all my recipes,” she says.
“But I can’t reduce the sugar in the frosting. So I place a handy note — the cake isn’t sweet, but if you find the frosting too sweet, you can opt to remove it. And some do.”
If you have a weakness for soft-baked cookies, chewy on the inside with a crispy-crinkled top and edges, you’ll go wild for her offerings – chocolate chip cookies loaded with chocolate chunks; red velvet cookies packed with white chocolate chips; lemon biscoff, and double dark chocolate chip cookies.
In addition, Monija also whips up the most delicious cakes – butter, Belgian chocolate, red velvet, and carrot walnut. What’s there not to love?
“You can have them eggless too. I’m currently experimenting with vegan cookies as well,” chirps Monija, who hopes to become vegan one day.
She tells FMT that she made the decision to open her own baking studio after realising that she had practically taken over her parent’s kitchen with her baking equipment.
But once she was all set up and ready to go, her parents began to worry no end that she would kiss her day job goodbye for good.
“My parents were initially worried that after I had my own space, I would quit my job (as a dentist) but they have been extremely supportive of my passion all the same,” she says, adding that her dad has always believed in prioritising one’s happiness.
To complement her cookies and cakes, Monija recently established Bitter, a line of cold brew coffees made in small batches to ensure optimum quality and taste.
Bitter’s current lineup includes cold brew, cold brew latte, cold brew vanilla, and cold brew oat milk, all of which are sugarless.
“But I’m not alone in this caffeine-fueled venture. I have a business partner helping me out,” explains Monija, confessing that she is somewhat of a coffee fiend herself.
But cakes, cookies and coffee aside, Monija says she still immensely enjoys donning her white coat every morning and heading to the clinic to treat her patients.
“It’s a completely different feeling — to be able to treat someone in pain and to bake someone a cake – both are rewarding.”
Will there come a day when she lays down her dental instruments for good to focus solely on Sweetoothache?
“Well, let’s see where the road takes me,” she hints mischievously.
To satisfy your cravings, check out Sweetoothache on Facebook, Instagram or WhatsApp Monija at 012-692 4481.