If you always end up making a meal of deciding what to choose from the menu when eating curries, here’s an easy guide for you to digest: Korma is a mild dish, ideal for beginners, usually made with cream or yoghurt, raisins and coconut.

Masala is a thoroughly garnished dish with onion, garlic, tomato and spices, giving a medium-strength flavour and can be a little condensed.

Rogan Josh is medium hot and a little dry, made with pimentos and garlic.

Pathia is a sour and hot dish with masses of tomato puree, garlic, onions, red chilli and black pepper.

Dansak gives off a sweet and sour hot taste and is a mouth-watering combination of spices with pineapple, lentils, lemon juice and herbs.

Tikka is when meat or fish has been coated in a spicy yoghurt sauce and traditionally baked in a clay oven.

Jalfrezi is a rich highly-spiced dish, cooked with egg.

Here’s a simple guide to other terms you might find on the menu at your favourite Asian restaurant: l Achar – Pickle l Adrak – Ginger l Aloo – Potato l Bhaji – Dry vegetable curry l Bhindi – Okra l Bhuna – Dry/well-fried l Brinjal – Aubergine l Channa – Split chick peas l Chapati – Unleavened wholemeal bread l Chaval – Rice l Dall – Pulses l Dhania – Coriander l Ghee – Clarified butter l Gosht – Meat l Hare – Green l Keema – Minced meat l Khumbi – Mushrooms l Malai – Cream l Meethi – Sweet l Mirch – Chilli l Naan – Flat leavened white bread l Paratha – Shallow-fried unleavened white bread l Raita – Yoghurt with vegetables l Roti – Bread l Saag – Spinach l Tandoor – A clay oven