Spices not only enhance flavour but they also have added health benefits

Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory making it good for arthritis and has many other health benefits. To help the body absorb the curcumin in the turmeric, which has all the good stuff, you should combine it with ginger or black pepper that contain piperine, essential to break down the curcumin. Ginger is another anti-inflammatory that also improves digestion. If you’re feeling unwell make a tea of thinly sliced ginger in hot water. Allow to infuse before drinking.

When you combine these spices with onions and garlic you’re on to a bigger winner. Both these aromats help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels as well as being anti-inflammatory. My first recipe is for grilled chicken with a Sri Lankan style carrot and chickpea curry. Carrots are especially good at the moment and work surprisingly well in this dish of spices, coconut and chickpeas. You layer the flavours by starting with frying mustard seeds in oil. When they pop add onion, garlic, ginger and chilli that will stop them from burning. When they’re golden add the dry spices and finally coconut nut milk, stock and the carrots. It’s finished with chickpeas, lemon and coriander. I’ve added a recipe for baked spiced chicken but you could just go vegan and have it as it is. You could serve with rice and I’ve added a recipe for a coconut and black pepper naan bread – great for mopping up any leftover sauce. It’s a quick bread that combines self raising flour with desiccated coconut, oil and yoghurt with black pepper. No kneading required – just roll out and cook on a dry pan for a couple of minutes.

Cardamom is one of my favourite spices – like green husks enclosing dark seeds. It has a hints of lemon and mint making it suitable for savoury and sweet dishes. You can smash the pods slightly, add to dishes and when cooked remove them but I prefer to remove the seeds and leave them in. Cardamom is used in the carrot curry and also in the sweet dish this week – rice pudding with mango, orange and cardamom. I’m using dried mango in the recipe which I’ve recently started using. It has a lovely sweet, sharpness and is slightly addictive. One piece is never enough and it takes a lot of will power not to eat the whole bag. Chop the mango and add to the rice pudding mixture – this one is baked in the oven. As the pudding is deliciously creamy I’ve added an almond crumble to sprinkle over the top but it’s not essential. Nor is a generous dollop of honey cream on the top but both things add another flavour and texture element.