The most useful thing I’ve learned from the new and elegant The Cinnamon Club Seafood Cookbook is the usefulness of ghee, or clarified butter. This method (see below) of heating, separating and discarding the cooked milk solids stops the butter going rancid, enables it to withstand high temperatures and reheating and lets it keep in the fridge for several years. Some readers may say “Duh. Everyone knows that”. Well I didn’t and I’m thrilled — it obviously has all sorts of uses beyond Indian cooking.

The Cinnamon Club is one of a relatively new breed of high-end Indian restaurants that, during the Nineties, taught British diners that there was more to the cookery of the subcontinent than chicken tikka masala and onion bhaji. Chef Vivek Singh has produced a beautiful book with enticing dishes clearly explained but, as with most Asian cookery, the recipes call for a daunting list of ingredients, and often several different procedures.

On the other hand, Singh has helpfully given recipes for basics such as ginger paste, Rajasthan spice paste and garam masala which, once made and stored, will reduce the preparation time for individual recipes in future. I tried the shortest and simplest dish that involved minimal shopping for unfamiliar ingredients. Hake in Bengali dopiaza sauce called for yoghurt and coriander — two of my favourite things to cook with. I already had black onion seeds, mustard seeds, cumin and turmeric in the cupboard so had to buy only the fresh stuff such as the fish, chillies and coriander.

I enjoyed making the sauce and the smell brought people to the kitchen from all over the house. But if I wanted to make full use of this lovely book I would have to have a crush on Indian cooking, stock up with all the ingredients and use them regularly. A two-year-old jar of cardamom just isn’t going to give you that aromatic hit, and once you’ve made your own garam masala, Vivek recommends using it up within two weeks.

To make ghee: place 250g of unsalted butter in a heavy-based pan and heat gently until it melts. Bring it to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, skimming off the froth from the surface, until the sediment has settled at the bottom and separated from the clear, golden ghee. The sediment is the cooked milk solids and should be carefully removed and discarded. The golden liquid solidifies when cool but should stay creamy, like soft margarine. Store it in the fridge.

Vivek Singh is the executive chef of the Cinnamon Club. His first book, The Cinnamon Club Cookbook, was shortlisted for the Guild of Food Writers Award.

The Cinnamon Club Seafood Cookbook is published by Absolute Press, priced £15. It is available from Times BooksFirst (0870 1608080) for £13.50 incl postage and packing.

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