Curry may be the nation's favourite dish, but authentic Indian cuisine is so much more varied than choosing between chicken korma and chicken madras. On our travels across India we've eaten from both small shacks on the side of the road to top hotels and restaurants, sampling all kinds of local dishes, some we've heard of before but many we haven't.

Indian chefs and home cooks use of spices and flavours are unparalleled and while it's hard to recreate them exactly, below we've selected 5 of our favourite Indian inspired dishes that we love to make at home.

Prawns with Coconut, Chillies and Mustard Seeds

Taken from Rick Stein's cookbook, India, and featured on his BBC 2 series of the same name. This dish is traditionally popular in Bengal, where coconuts and prawns are both in easy supply. 

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Chargrilled Summer Vegetables with a Cumin and Coriander Dressing

Indians don't really 'do' salad. But their cuisine is adapting and this version, developed by Meera Sodhur, is a delicious taste of what they might look like in the future.

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Traditional Mango Chutney

Indian meals are all about filing the table with as many curries and sides as can possibly fit. Each meal is a mix of different dishes and a good mango chutney is always on hand to add a little spicy sweetness.

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Coconut and Tamarind Chicken Curry

Known as the 'Indian date', tamarind is widely used in Indian cooking. It's flavour is a wonderful balance of sweet yet sour and in this curry it mixes with coconut milk beautifully to give a creamy sweetness with a slight kick. 

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Naan Bread

When in London, The Cinnamon Club is one of our favourite restaurants to visit. Located in the former Westminster Library it's wonderfully grand and has a reputation for being London's original modern Indian restaurant. Their menu is a feast for every sense and as is often the case with complex cooking they always get the basics spot on. Their naan recipe is a failsafe and no curry should be without it.

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