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dried chillies

Dried chillies are pungent, hot, spicy, intense and sometimes smokey. They give heat, colour and vibrant flavour to a dish. They tend to be hotter than fresh chillies.

Kerala prawn fry is a simple dry dish of crispy fried prawns. Nadan chemmeen varuthathu is one of Kerala's best-known street vendor snacks. It is slightly hot and tangy and highlights the flavour of the prawns.

Sri Lankan beef curry

This Sri Lankan beef curry features beef slowly braised in a coconut milk gravy. Take your time to cook this, and allow the flavours to develop.

panch phoran

Panch phoran, is the taste of Bengal. It is a blend of five seeds or spices, hence its name which translates literally into English as "five spices".

gingelly oil

Gingelly oil or til ka tel is an edible vegetable oil made from sesame seeds. It is used extensively in south Indian cuisine.

Madras fish curry

This Madras fish curry is a family dish from Chennai. Meen kuzhambu gets its flavour from the shallots and tomatoes and features the taste of the just-cooked fish to perfection.

cassia

Cassia is the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree. This bark is noticeably harder than cinnamon and has a more robust and less sweet flavour.

paneer

Paneer is a simple farmer-type cheese made by coagulation. It has a crumbly texture that works wonderfully with spices. It is not a fermented or cured cheese.

sella rice

Sella rice is basmati rice that has been parboiled while still in its husk, then milled. It has a more fragrant aroma, a deeper taste and exquisite long individual grains.

basmati rice

Basmati rice is the fragrant rice used in many Indian dishes.

paneer and peas

Paneer and peas, or matar paneer is a popular dish from the Punjab. It highlights the paneer, has a spicy tomato sauce and bursts of flavour from the just-cooked peas.

sambar masala

Sambar masala, or sambar podi, is a spice mix used to flavour thick, lentil-based soups.