If you are new to cooking Indian food, then our five simple pointers will help you make a mean Indian meal that will win you accolades, rewards, and a resounding chorus of finger-licking noises that?s bound to make you beam with pride!

Remember, patience is the key to good cooking. Ensure your pastes are smooth, onions are deep brown in color, and spices used are freshly ground. All set? Let?s go:

- Flour is not used as a thickening agent in Indian cuisine. Rather pastes such as cashew nut paste or onion or coconut pastes are used as thickening agents.
- You must learn the art of toasting (Dry roasting) spices before grinding them into fine powder. Ensure that the spices are not burnt (acrid aroma) nor semi-cooked. Properly roasted spices give out a full-bodied aroma that is hard to forget but difficult to master!
- Remember, to get a smooth and lump less onion, ginger, garlic paste add a dash of water to the ingredients in the grinder and zip away.
- To make low-calorie curries, substitute fresh cream for whipped Greek yogurt/Indian curds or cr�me fra�che and for cooking use groundnut oil instead of ghee.
- If a smooth-textured dal has grabbed your fancy, then blend the plain-pressure cooked lentils in a blender before currying.