Forget that jar of ready-made tikka sauce. Kit yourself out with a little spice knowledge and create fast, authentically spiced dishes to tingle your tastebuds. The perfect feast...

• Throw out your spice rack Instead make deliciously spiced meals with this simple starter kit. You will need: 1) cumin seeds, 2) turmeric powder, 3) chilli powder, 4) ground coriander, 5) asafoetida, 6) whole cloves, 7) whole cardamom pods, and 8) peppercorns. The number of ingredients in authentic curry dishes is often long, but if you have your kit in a small tub or box it will be easier to throw dishes together in a flash.
• Buy in small quantities and keep in air-tight jars. The best flavour is gone after a few months.
• Forget fancy spice grinders Use a pestle and mortar.
• Know what's best whole Coriander and cardamom seeds are best bought whole, then freshly ground. Use cumin seeds for fragrance, ground cumin for a deeper flavour.
• Add seeds at the start of cooking It releases aromatic oils. Cumin seeds turn bitter if you throw them in later on. Then add the onions, ginger, tomatoes and garlic to add moisture. Add ground spices next, and, finally, the meat, fish, seafood or vegetables and a little water and salt if you need them.
• Put the brakes on the heat Cool a hot dish down with a spoonful or two of yoghurt right at the end of cooking.
• Don't deseed chillis Respect fresh chilli and don't mess about with the insides. For less heat use less chilli.
• Don't save spices for curries Add cumin to shepherds pie, nutmeg to cheese sauce and cardamom to porridge. Pep up potatoes with turmeric, chilli powder and garlic. For cauliflower use cumin seeds and black mustard seeds, and for green beans add ajowan and fresh ginger. Try moussaka enriched with paprika and sweetened with cinnamon.
• Discover asafoetida Smells disgusting raw but enhances every dish with a meaty, comfort-food taste. It's great for digestion, too.
• Make your own custom blends Make garam masala by dry frying 2tsp cumin seeds, 4 tsp coriander seeds and cardamom seeds scraped from two pods. Grind with ½tsp ground black pepper, 1tsp cinnamon and ½tsp ground cloves. Throw in when you add the meat or vegetables, and sprinkle a little more over before serving.
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