Spices have, historically, been a tricky ingredient. They’re prevalent in everyone’s kitchens, but too often are underused, stored badly and kept years beyond their ‘best before date’. There’s the perceived alchemy of making a curry from scratch and the stringent marrying of certain spices to specific cuisines. This cookbook encourages liberal, creative and everyday use – a well-timed pinch to elevate a dish, with a focus on great taste rather than being tethered to tradition.

Colourful introductions give context to lesser-known spices and provide new insights into more familiar varieties, and the global, taste-led recipes will have readers cooking more confidently with spices.