Slow-braised aubergines and sweet peppers in a rich onion-tomato gravy with cardammon, clove, cinnamon and black pepper are topped with caramelized onions

Indian cooks work mostly with individual spices, creating unique symphonies of flavour on the fly – with some notable exceptions, as with the spice blend Panch Phoron

Armed with your restaurant curry gravy, rich with long cooked onions and aromatic spices, you’ll have these three classics ready in a jiffy

A good curry takes time. Onions form the backbone, but need long cooking. Spices are the essence, but need time to develop. You can’t rush a good curry. But there is a way …