Mallika Basu explains all about masala in her latest cookbook

Food writer Mallika Basu's book 'Masala: Indian Cooking for Modern Living' made for a lively discussion session in the national capital.

In her book, Mallika, granddaughter of West Bengal's veteran politician Jyoti Basu, shares her recipes, techniques and shortcuts to enable readers cook real Indian flavours without compromising on taste or texture.

"The cookbook is packed with practical tips and tricks from busy every day cooks including recipe hacks that save time and effort, clever ways to incorporate vegetables into meals, creative ways to use grains and pulses, tips on fermentation and an extensive troubleshooting section. Every spice featured is used at least twice to make best use of your ingredient collection," said Basu during the session at Oxford Bookstore here on Tuesday evening.

She has previously authored "Miss Masalaa in 2010. The new book draws on the personal experience of the noted food writer.

Mallika went to England from Kolkata for her university education unable to cook even an egg and then taught herself how to replicate the bold Indian flavours she grew up with in her modern kitchen in London.

This, she did even as she was a busy mum with a demanding corporate career. Following a successful cookery blog, Mallika now writes regularly about Indian cookery and is a food pioneer for the UK Government's Great British Food Campaign.