Ringing the changes

• Spice the cooking water when boiling rice – try adding sticks of cinnamon, bay leaves, a few cloves and a few cardamom seeds for a sweetly aromatic flavour.

• Fried sizzling cumin seeds poured over cooked rice also add a nutty taste.

• For saffron rice, soak the strands in warm water for an hour before drizzling everything over freshly boiled rice. Gently fork through before serving.

• Try spiking sweet mango chutney with finely chopped red chillies, chopped mint and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.

• If you’re a beginner - instead of making a full-on curry first-time around, try tossing a few fennel seeds and dried red chillies in with roast potatoes as they cook. Like what you taste? Next time, try adding a little turmeric powder and a shower of cumin seeds before popping the roasting tin in the oven...

Did you know?

• Jains, a sizable Indian vegetarian community, don’t eat onions or garlic, as they believe they heat up the body and promote lusty thoughts.

• A vindaloo means made with wine and garlic - the Portuguese are given credit for introducing this tartly spiced pork curry to India. The British version is little more than a formula curry and has no relation to this authentic favourite.


• Over 3.2 million portions of Chicken tikka masala are sold in Britain every year, and they’re over 8000 Indian restaurants across the country – looks like curry rules Britannia.

If you'd like to read more about inventive Indian cooking styles and lifestyle topics, check out Zaikha magazine - a premium bi-monthly magazine that focuses on diverse Asian culinary traditions.