Cyrus Todiwala builds a contemporary curry menu

Cyrus Todiwala is a friendly name in the hospitality industry. With decades of service, a leading London restaurant and an OBE to his name, he’s long been a key figure in shaping how Indian food is cooked and perceived in the UK. In Modern Indian, his latest cookbook, he’s not trying to redefine Indian cuisine so much as open it up, offering chefs an invitation to adapt, scale and reinterpret.

 

The structure is practical: chapters are broken down into bites, small plates (vegetarian, fish and meat), breads, grains, dips, sweets and full-blown feasts. It’s clear it comes from the same brain that knows how to plan a menu, with clear ways to build out a bar snack list, work on a modern Indian brunch, or create sharing-style platters for groups.

 

Todiwala doesn’t shy away from bold meats (lamb marrow with meat – kharu gos nay gudd) or strong flavours (tandoori wood pigeon in pickling spices), but balances them with plenty of vegetarian plates and grains. A whisky trout tikka adds a bit of flair for those who like their fish with fire and finesse, while the cafreal masala marinade is punchy enough to build a dish around.

 

The recipes are accessible without being simplistic, and most rely on technique and spice handling rather than gimmicks. That said, for some ingredients – such as the wild boar in a kofta curry or the aforementioned wood pigeon – you might need a decent supplier or game dealer on speed dial.

 

The section on feasts is a clever touch, offering not just full menus, but ways to combine existing recipes into a coherent service offering for all occasions, from the colder months to outdoor dining.

 

One of the more playful entries is an apple crumble samosa – a dessert that sells “extremely well” in his east London restaurant Café Spice Namasté. And he isn’t afraid to blend trends with tradition, such as with his ‘Indian bubble tea’ (sabudana kesari elaichi doodh).

 

Ultimately, Modern Indian feels like a book written by a chef who knows kitchens. It’s not shouting for attention, but it’s smart, grounded and versatile, with enough personality to give a menu a fresh perspective without reinventing the wheel. If you’re looking to expand or modernise your Indian offering with recipes that have substance and flexibility, this is worth a look.

 

Modern Indian: Small Plates, Big Flavours, Fabulous Feasts by Cyrus Todiwala (£22, White Lion Publishing)

Cook the moong daal samosas from the book