Indian cuisine is popular the world over, and nowadays every self-respecting cook treasures their rows of delicate herbs and exotic spices that contain the secret to their aromatic masala pastes. Curry led the way but now that tamarind and jaggery are also practically household names, the whole of India's vast and diverse culinary culture is ready to be explored. "The Indian Kitchen" is your indispensable guide, for it takes you through all the key ingredients that are readily available in the West, but that are still maybe slightly unfamiliar, and shows you how to cook traditional dishes the authentic way with over 200 simple but mouth-watering recipes. Every ingredient is a vivid insight into India's great and colourful traditions. From the earthy, creamy lentil dishes and yogurt-based marinades in North Indian cooking to the rice, coconut and curry leaves that are the famous staples of the South, Monisha Bharadwaj provides a context (cultivation, appearance, taste, culinary uses and health benefits) for every regional classic. Including tips on how to balance hot, sweet and sour flavours, how to cook spices so that they achieve their full-bodied, almost nutty-tasting flavour and explanations for why it is so essential to brown onions to a deep russet colour, "The Indian Kitchen" will bring rich and heady flavours into the heart of every home.