I made a few changes to this salad--I chose to serve it cold rather than warm, and subbed raw arugula for wilted spinach. I didn't really get the point of the parchment paper wrap other than to replace the flavor-providing banana leaf traditionally used. The excellent feature of this cook book is that the recipes are not only excellent and delicious, the descriptions are also really clear, easy to follow.

Good, though, for the 3-yr old gremlin who actually ate his "white broccoli" and peas with genuine abandon. I tried a few at the size recommended (she has you cut the filo 4 inches wide) but I just found that too big. Meera has served it here with rice and flash-fried green beans, spiked with garlic, chilli, lime juice and salt. This cookbook is the story of Sodha, her family and their journey over three generations from India to Africa to England.I liked this finished with a squeeze of lemon and chopped pistachios, would consider pomegranate arils next time.

Meera Sodha is the Guardian's 'New Vegan' columnist and author of Fresh India, which won the Observer Food Monthly Best New Cookbook Award 2017. The only thing I would change next time is to place the chicken on a roasting rack -- the author doesn't mention using one so I didn't, but I think it would help crisp up the skin underneath. Here's three tips: Mum's chicken curry (easy and delicious), Bombay eggs (wow a really surprising one-pot brunch, delicious! Really tasty, but I did have to add an extra tomato and then a little water once the spinach went in. Simple to prepare and perfect for serving with any Indian curry dish, but particularly to brighten the plate and give something fresh and contrasting.

Fry the paneer in batches, turning the pieces until golden brown on each side, and transfer them to a dish lined with paper towels. In this title, the author introduces serves up a feast of over 130 delicious recipes collected from three generations of her family: there's everything from hot chappatis to street food, fragrant curries, to colourful side dishes, and puddings (mango, lime and saffron kulfi). Roll the kachori balls around on the baking tray to coat them in the oil and bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Warm corn tortilla wrapping optional, but I think we as a society really need to get with the concept that tacos and Indian food can be buds. I only used 1/3 of a jalapeno (seeded) instead of a chili, hoping it would be mild enough for my kids to eat and it wasn't hot at all.

This coconut fish curry from my new book ‘Made in India’ is a great Summer curry recipe which is straight from the heart of Kerala on the south west coast of India. My favorites are the ubiquitous samosas (see here); the chili paneer (see here), which I first encountered near my grandparents' home in Leicester; and the corn on the cob (see here), which our family has eaten in the same way in Uganda, in India, and in Lincolnshire, where it grows as tall as me. I missed the extra heat, but seeing how much the child enjoyed it and she asked for seconds made me forget about it. Photography: Ray Gaubert for the Guardian Meera Sodha offers simple, clear recipes which are full of flavour – a great introduction to a new cuisine. I cut the potatoes a bit smaller than it said so they would cook in a reasonable amount of time, but otherwise followed the recipe.Indians are always nibbling; in fact, India has one of the biggest street-food and snacking cultures in the world. These potatoes were well received, but I would recommend adding salt slowly and to taste rather than dumping in the amount she recommends. My deviations: As is the MO in the Nightshade house, I used a combination of chiles, jalapeño, Serrano, and Anaheim, in both the chutney and the chicken (with a bit of red chile added as garnish). The garlic melts in your mouth, is definitely not too intense and really has a lovely depth and surprising sweetness.