Grouse & Coco Bean Masala with Cobnut Crumble

Use the same weight as grouse. It is smaller and leaner, so brown quickly and check 10 minutes earlier; the flavour is gamey but milder.

Use the same weight. It is leaner and milder, so add a little extra ghee or oil and cook 10–15 minutes longer until tender.

Use the same weight. It is much milder, so increase garam masala or black pepper slightly; cook until tender, about the same time or a little less.

Use the same weight; use raw as a garnish, with no cooking.

Use the same weight; identical raw garnish use.

Use the same weight, chopped fine; it is stronger, so use 75% if used raw as a garnish.

Use the same weight, sliced and steeped in lime juice or white vinegar with salt for 15 minutes; fresher and crisper.

Use the same weight, chopped; less sharp and more watery.

Use the same weight, chopped; much spicier, so use less if the pickle is hot.

Use 75% of the weight. Add midway through simmering; spreads heat evenly through the dish instead of delivering isolated bursts.

Use 50% of the weight. Stir in near the end of cooking; significantly darkens light gravies and provides an immediate, sharp bite.

Use the same number or weight. Ordinary bay is milder and lacks the cinnamon-clove note; add early and remove before serving.

Use about 1 g cassia for every 2 g Indian bay leaf. It gives a warm cinnamon note but not a true laurel flavour; remove before serving.

Use a small 1 cm piece for 2 leaves. It adds warm sweetness but not bay flavour; remove before serving.

True cinnamon: thinner, papery quills, milder and sweeter. Use about 1.5 times the weight, and taste.

Use about a third of the weight (0.5 g ground for a 2.5 cm piece), stirred in with the ground spices rather than fried whole, since the powder burns quickly.

Use 60-70% of the weight; stronger and more peppery, so taste before adding more.

Use 35 to 40% of the total pod weight; lightly bruise the seeds before frying in oil to release their essential oils.

Use 20 to 25% of the pod weight (about 1 generous pinch per pod); stir in toward the end of cooking so the delicate floral notes do not dissipate.

Use 1:1 by pod count or weight; crack gently before using, though it is slightly less intensely floral.

Use the same weight; the difference is only the order of the names.

Mix with an equal weight of ginger paste and use the same total weight.

For 20 g paste use about 10 g crushed garlic and 10 g grated ginger root with a splash of water. Add a little extra water if the dish looks dry.

Use 1:1 by weight. Handles high-heat frying identically and introduces a very subtle, pleasant nuttiness.

Use 1:1 by weight. Yields a much richer, authentic aroma and a glossy, heavier mouthfeel.

Use 1:1 by weight. Heat until smoking, then cool slightly before cooking to temper its intensely pungent, sharp mustard kick.

Use the same weight; same mild heat and colour. Stir into oil briefly so it does not burn.

Use the same weight; milder and slightly less vivid. Good for colour, add a pinch of red chilli powder for heat.

Use 30–50% of the weight and make up with paprika; much hotter. Add gradually and taste.

Use 10 to 15% of the weight (about 1/4 teaspoon per chilli); imparts dry pungent heat and reddens the dish without the grassy crunch.

Use 1 dried pod per fresh green chilli; snap in half and temper in hot oil for a deeper, toastier heat.

Use the same weight; cook a little longer. Milder and less sweet when raw.

Use the same weight; sweeter and softer, so reduce cooking time slightly.

Use only the white parts, weight for weight, for raw or quick-cooked dishes; green parts are too grassy for long cooking.

Use 40% to 50% of the fresh tomato weight mixed with a splash of water. Imparts a deeper red colour, thicker sauce, and slightly sweeter cooked flavour.

Use 60% of the weight, whisked smooth and added on low heat. Provides rich body and sourness, though the gravy becomes paler and creamier.

Use the same weight cooked. If dried, soak overnight and boil until tender; creamy texture is close.

Use the same weight cooked. Firmer and stronger; boil dried beans hard for 10 minutes before simmering.

Use the same weight cooked. Smaller and nuttier; cooks faster, so check early.

Dry-roast briefly and grind finely; use equal weight (1:1). Imparts an even punchier, nuttier, toasty aroma than pre-ground cumin.

Use equal weight (1:1). Adds mild, lemony sweetness rather than cumin's smoky, earthy bite; curries will taste lighter and less savoury.

Grind finely; use 60% to 75% of the weight. Produces a darker, more complex, smoky-herbal flavour suited to rich gravies.

Dry-roast lightly in a pan and grind to a fine powder; use equal weight (1:1). Offers a noticeably fresher, brighter citrus note.

Use 50% to 75% of the weight. Lacks the floral, citrusy profile of coriander and turns the gravy heavier, earthier, and darker.

Use 50% of the weight and stir in near the end of cooking. Adds warmth and depth since it contains ground coriander, but introduces stronger spices like clove and cinnamon.

Use 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.

Steep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Use the same weight. It is slightly coarser, so stir a little longer to dissolve; in baking, grind briefly if a fine texture matters.

Use the same weight, but dissolve it earlier as it is coarser. It adds a light caramel note and a little colour.

Use the same weight; crush or grate jaggery first. It darkens the dish and adds molasses flavour, so reduce other liquid slightly.

Use 75% of the weight; it is tangy and South Indian in style. Add a little garam masala if the dish needs more warmth.

Use 50% of the weight and add amchoor or lime juice for tang. It gives warmth but not the full chole-style masala profile.

Use 75% of the weight; it is complex and slightly sweet-sour. Taste before adding salt, as profiles vary.

Use the same weight. Roast at 180C for 8–10 minutes and rub off the skins; cobnut is sweeter but very close.

Use the same weight. Blanch and roast; milder and less oily, so add a little extra fat if the dish needs richness.

Use the same weight and roast lightly. Softer and sweeter, good in pastes and stuffings.

Use the same weight. Toast lightly before use; white seeds are milder and give a cleaner look.

Use the same weight. They are stronger and more bitter; toast briefly and use slightly less if the dish is delicate.

Use the same weight, crushed or chopped. It gives crunch but not the same nutty sesame aroma.

Grind deseeded dried pods to an equal weight of powder; gives identical vivid red colour and gentle warmth.

Use 25% of the weight mixed with sweet paprika for colour; straight red chilli powder is substantially hotter and will make the dish fiery.

Use one-third of the weight; the sauce will be less intensely red and notably sharper in heat.

Use the same weight; taste first as it can be smokier and saltier. Add lime or amchoor if the dish needs more tang.

Use about half the weight, mixed with black salt and a pinch of ground cumin. It gives tang and saltiness but lacks the minty, asafoetida notes.

Use about half the weight and add lime juice to taste. It gives the salty, sulphurous edge but not the full tangy blend.