Secret Ingredient

Felix is a professional chef of fine dining heritage and is currently working at the locally famous Grand Hotel in the seaside and renowned Fylde coast golfing location of Lytham St. Annes.

Alongside the Secret Ingredient Apron he has come up with some recipes. All the recipes follow Felix' unique and simple one pan low oil method and there's a Method video for each recipe. The method not only gives you restaurant standard food but it's healthier too.

Although in my mind's eye I see my method and recipes as appealing to the male beginner, they are suitable for everyone, with the intention that for all it will add that 'secret ingredient' to their cooking.

Tip 1: Preparing food with spices takes time and patience. Don't embark on a dish unless you have both, because the food won't be good and you won't gain the therapeutic benefits of cooking.

Tip 2: Don't cut corners. Undercooked spices taste sharp or bitter. For success accurately follow the method on the instructional video.

Tip 3: Where possible buy your spices in larger packs from Asian supermarkets or online. Some are available from your local supermarket World Food aisle. Try and avoid the overpriced small jars in the supermarket Herbs and Spices section.

Tip 4: It's best to stick to the recipe but whole spices can be substituted for ground spices and vice versa, although I don't personally use coriander seeds, mustard seeds or green cardamom pods. Remember that in exchanging whole spices for ground spices and vice versa involves swapping the segment where they should be added and will result in a different flavour. Use less for ground spices than whole spices. Try and avoid more than about 5 tsp ground spices in a paste as they will take longer to cook out.

Tip 5: Whilst fresh chillies and chilli powder can vary in strength, chilli flakes are more consistent and will therefore help you gauge your own preferences.

Tip 6: With the exception of fish and seafood, try and avoid serving a curry immediately, as it benefits from being stood. This should be for a minimum two hours and connoisseurs will serve the next day. Add water to achieve your preferred consistency when reheating. Saving leftovers for your partners's mid week lunch box always tastes awesome.

Tip 7: The same curry tastes different every time you make it or even serve it. This is normal and should be embraced as one of the mysteries and charm of cooking with spices and, always learning, turns cooking spices into a pastime for life.

Tip 8: For the benefit of others - if you've made one of my curries please add any tips or pitfalls you experienced in the Review section of that curry. Just click on View Reviews.

Tip 9: If we have added your recipe to the My Perfect Curry section, write any tips or pitfalls of your own recipe in it's Review section. Use your name and this will stay on the web page for all time. Reader - the Review of a recipe by it's author will be at the bottom. Just look for his or her name.

Tip 10: Embrace cooking for pleasure and embrace the joy of sharing food, both for you the cook and for those you cook for. It's therapy for everyone and makes cooking 'from scratch' so much more rewarding than food 'out of a jar'.