Indian cuisine varies from region to region and offers a wide variety of dishes to choose from. Even though not all are spicy or curry-based, I tried to provide a list of Indian lunch and dinner items with bit of spice (medium).  If you would like to try mildly spicy dishes then please omit one of the three spices from the recipe:

·       red chilli powder – hot

·       black pepper – hotter

·       garam masala powder -  hottest

Or you can use a smaller quantity of the spice to just get the flavour.

Most of the Indian gravy food’s basic ingredients are ginger, garlic, green chillies, onions and tomatoes mixed with turmeric powder, red chillies powder, garam masala and salt.  If you add the basic gravy and the vegetables or meat, it will give exotic flavour on its own. Once you understand the basics (first half), the rest is simple.

Lentils gravy/curry is also used as a means for lunch or dinner, or you can have it as a soup-like appetizer. After cooking the lentil you can blend it or half mash it or leave it whole. Each one gives a different kind of flavour from the other. The choice is yours how you want it.

If you would like to enrich the flavour for a special occasion then you can add these ingredients, namely cardamom, almond paste, cinnamon (power or whole), cloves, cashew nuts paste and, above all, you can add cream or yoghurt.  Along with using it for dressing, cream and yoghurt also battles the spice to make it balanced.

In later articles we will discuss things you can do to change the way you make a recipe, to develop a unique style and create an impression. By way of presentation and garnishing, and a bit of tweaking the recipe, you will learn how to adjust food, even if things have gone slightly wrong. Change the way you make a recipe, to develop a unique style and create an impression. By way of presentation and garnishing, and a bit of tweaking the recipe, you will learn how to adjust food, even if things have gone slightly wrong.