Kozhi Appakari

Use 100% of the weight, cut into equivalent bone-in or boneless pieces. Simmer for an extra 5 to 10 minutes; flavour and texture are very similar.

Use 100% of the weight. Cut into bite-sized pieces and extend simmering time by 35 to 50 minutes, adding extra liquid to allow the meat to tenderise.

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 equal weight whole. Fry in hot oil or ghee as tempered spice; gives a richer red colour with slightly milder heat.

Use 50% to 70% of the weight. Stir into the oil with ground spices; distributes heat evenly throughout the dish without whole chilli skins.

Use 75–80% of the weight; it is sharper and more pungent, so temper briefly and do not over-brown.

Use the same weight, or 1.1 times if you want more heat; they are milder and rounder in flavour.

Use half the weight; mix into wet ingredients rather than hot oil, as it burns easily and lacks the seed crunch.

Use equal weight. Needs longer soaking and cooking; the dark skins impart an earthy flavour and greyish-black hue unless thoroughly rubbed off.

Use equal weight when tempering (tadka). Provides a comparable nutty, crunchy texture in hot oil, though grains are slightly larger.

Use equal weight for batters or dals. Ferments and cooks faster, producing a lighter, less sticky, and less viscous consistency.

Use 75% of the weight. Fry in hot oil or ghee; has a sharper, more pronounced liquorice flavour, so use a lighter hand.

Use 60% of the weight. Stir into the sauce with ground masalas; provides identical sweet aniseed flavour without whole seed crunch.

Use one point (single carpel) per 1 g of fennel seeds. Simmer in gravies and remove before serving; gives a deeper, woodier liquorice aroma.

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 equal weight. Fry gently in oil or ghee with the ginger; incorporates smoothly into curries without visible minced bits.

Use 15% to 20% of the weight (about 1 g for every 5 to 6 g fresh cloves). Whisk into sauces; gives a savoury, toasted garlic flavour without raw pungency.

Use 1.5 times the weight, very finely minced. Sauté until golden; provides savoury allium sweetness, though it lacks garlic's pungent sulphur bite.

Use equal weight, finely sliced. Shallots soften and brown faster, giving a slightly sweeter and more delicate base to curries.

Use 80% of the weight, finely shredded and browned slowly with a pinch of asafoetida. Replicates the bulk and natural sweetness in gravies without allium.

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, deseed and chop; it gives colour with little heat. Add green chilli separately if you want pungency.

Use the same weight; heat is similar but the colour will be green rather than red.

Use 70% of the weight and stir in earlier. Adjust salt and heat carefully.

Use the same weight and crush or grind as the recipe needs; whole peppercorn is the same spice.

Use the same weight; add nearer the end if the recipe calls for whole pepper, as ground loses aroma faster.

Use about 75–80% of the weight; it is milder and earthier, with less bite.

Use equal weight; scrape off the skin and grate or finely julienne according to the recipe.

Use equal weight; stir straight into the sizzling aromatics, taking care as the extra moisture may spit.

Use 15 to 20% of the weight; add alongside ground spices, noting it imparts warm, dry heat rather than zesty freshness.

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.