"I have always been involved with charity work," says Nitya, "even when I was growing up in India, and I thought a fund-raising book would be a worthwhile thing to do.

"We all tend to sit around thinking about doing things, but this time, I was determined to get it done. And the invaluable support of my friends enabled me to complete the project."

The thirty recipes in the book were collected from friends, and according to Nitya they are based on Indian food people actually cook in their own homes.

"These are not masalla and korma type recipes - they're really authentic. You can't buy these kinds of mixes ready-made.

"However, we've tried to keep it as simple as possible, and all the ingredients are readily available in the UK. And we've tried to cut down a little on the chilli!"

All proceeds from the sale of A Pinch of Chilli will go towards the work of Save the Children.

For more information about the book, contact Save the Children at their shop in Albany Road, Roath, Cardiff; their Cardiff office on 029 2039 6838; or email pinchofchilli@yahoo.co.uk

See a recipe for Spicy Meatballs from the book