moderate

Recipes that require care and attention to detail in preparation and cooking.

They may require some specialist ingredients and some extended preparation times.

Most recipes in this book are of this difficulty.

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.

steamed fish with coconut and coriander

Fish coated with coconut and coriander chutney, then steamed in banana leaves. Patrani ni maachi is a speciality of the Parsi community from Gujerat.

sweet lemon pickle

Khatta meetha nimbu ka achaar is a hot, sweet and sour lemon pickle, and is typical of pickles from Rajasthan.

Khajur imli ki chutni is one of the most common and instantly recognisable chutneys served throughout India. It has a sweet and sour taste with a bit of chilli heat. The tamarind gives it a tang and the dates give it sweetness.

tamarind water

Tamarind water is an extract of tamarind that has been soaked in warm water. It is a tangy preparation used to give a sour flavour to dishes.

tanduri chicken

The classic North Indian dish. Tandoori chicken is not hot, but has a gentle and subtle spice background. Part of the flavour comes from the slightly charred outside of the chicken. This recipe suits barbecue cooking.

tarka dal

Lentils, with spiced oil added just before serving is a dish eaten all across India. There are wide regional differences - this one is our family version, typical of Rajasthani cuisine.

vegetable pulao

Typical of the Hyderabadi cuisine, this sabzi pulao is a one-pot rice dish deserving of centre stage at a family gathering. Simply rice and vegetables cooked togther in spices and stock.

vindaloo

Vindalu is a traditional Goan dish. It is hot with complex layers of flavours. First the pork, then the chilli, vinegar, and garlic, and then the aromatic spices over that. Note that this recipe takes several days to prepare.