Mother Tongue: Flavours of a Second Generation by Gurdeep Loyal

For my money, there’s nothing more sensual than beautifully spiced food. Whether a dish includes an aromatic blend of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, or something fiery like chile flakes or ginger, the depth of flavor that spices can achieve is what I look for when dreaming up romantic meals.

Thus, when I started pondering the perfect February cookbook of the month, with Valentine’s Day on the horizon, I was looking for something spicy. As soon as I noticed Mother Tongue on the shelf, I knew it was the one.

Written by food journalist Gurdeep Loyal, the book is packed with great info about how to play with flavor combinations, and the first set of recipes is for a series of complex, aromatic spice blends.

Loyal follows that chapter with a bunch of fun snacks, from Tikka Tempura Shrimp to Pita with Pistachio, Coriander & Green Chili Dip to Sticky Treacle & Kokum Chicken Lollipops.

Loyal is British and Indian, and when creating recipes, he takes the incredibly deep flavors of Indian cooking and combines them with globally inspired dishes. Later in the volume, you’ll find entrées like Juniper-Spiced Bavette Steak with Corn Ribs and Coconut Zhoug; Gingery Roasted Squash with Ajwain-Hazelnut Chimichurri; and desserts including Lychee, Coconut & Dark Chocolate Muffins.

People who pick up the book will immediately notice the fresh, modern food photography, as well as the creative recipes. And if you like pink, you’ll love the cute paisley cover.