Autumn is a season that lends itself perfectly to home cooking, warming flavours and fragrant spiced dishes enjoyed with loved ones and what better style of food to enjoy at this time of year than curry? We caught up with Hari Ghotra, the author of The Easy Indian Slow Cooker Cookbook to talk tea, curry, inspiration and apps...

Tell us about a day in the life of a chef and foodie like yourself…

Every day is totally different which makes life a bit of a rollercoaster at times. Some days are spent in the kitchen, some days are spent planning events and other days I spend talking to my team about various activities that are going on. For example, next week is pretty hectic but includes all the stuff I love – cooking, chatting and meeting new people. On Sunday I'll be cooking a private dinner for 16 people, then on Monday I'll be shopping for ingredients and writing a menu for a bar chain I am collaborating with who want to feature my dishes on their menu. This is super-exciting as my name's going to be on the menu. On Tuesday I'm running a day-long cookery class for six people from my home kitchen and then on Wednesday I'm attending Blog Camp onboard the MSC Preziosa. Thursday will see me speaking about my journey at a Breakthrough Women Business event in Kent and on Friday I'll be speaking again while running a class at the B4U program in North Kensington, this is all about advising young mothers on how to start a business. Then at the weekend it's back to a local cookery school to lead another class.

Why is home cooking important to you?

Because home is where everything starts and food is such an important part of that. Coming together as a family to cook and eat is an opportunity to share our daily experiences, tell our stories and laugh together. Eating a well-balanced diet keeps us level and happy. I think cooking is a basic skill that is so important because we need to understand how to feed ourselves and our families well. It teaches us about planning, not wasting, about being economical and it’s something we need to get back to doing better. Plus it’s just so much fun.

Tell us about your favourite dish…

I don’t think I can – it changes all the time. It might be a roast dinner with all the trimmings, or a slow-cooked lamb curry with meat cooked on the bone and with chillies to spice it up. I love bold flavours, simple cooking methods and trying new things. I also love cooking outdoors and have a selection of BBQs, pizza ovens and lots of different wood burning stoves. There is something magical about the low and slow cook and that’s why I have just written a cookbook based on Indian food and the slow cooker. Classic Indian food is about delicate spicing, and cooking gently so the flavours develop and penetrate into a dish, making it amazing – and that’s what slow cooking can do.

How do you take your tea and do you have a favourite blend?

I love tea. It’s the first thing I have every morning with a splash of milk. I also love Indian chai; the spices are all about invigorating our sleeping bodies ready to start the day and kick-starting the main organs. I love chai when it’s cold outside – I have mine with some sugar (naughty I know) and quite often a spicy breakfast like aloo parantha is the perfect match for me. My afternoon cuppa is always an Earl Grey – fragrant and aromatic!

You’ve just launched your app and book. Tell us about that…

Everything I do is about getting people back into the kitchen to cook from scratch and helping them to cook great Indian food more easily. I want to build the biggest community of foodies who can interact, ask questions and share knowledge through all the different digital platforms that are available to us. I have a great following on YouTube, as well as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and it’s all focussed on cooking fresh, flavoursome Indian food. But the Hari Ghotra app is special because it gives me the ability to speak directly to my followers either through pictures, videos or live streams. Plus, my app is free to download and is packed with recipes, videos and tips for everyone from a complete newbie to a more experienced cook looking to wow their friends at their next dinner party.

Where’s your happy place?

It’s being at home with a glass of bubbles in my hand, music playing and eating a spicy bowl of curry. I love looking through my social media feeds at the pictures people have posted about the dishes they have cooked as well as reading how my recipe videos have given people the confidence to cook a delicious Indian meal at home from scratch – if you cook it, love it and share it we can all help each other create amazing food at home.

Anything else?

I really want to challenge the idea that indian food is reserved for a Saturday night take away. It can be so satisfying to cook from scratch and there are many healthy options to choose from (as well as some more indulgent ones). The recipes also work well for people looking for great vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free recipes to widen their meal options. Literally anyone can learn to cook authentic indian dishes at home and I love seeing people share the meals they’ve created from my recipes.

Win with Hari Ghotra and Newby Teas

We’re giving away a set of three Hari Ghotra curry kits along with three warming black teas from the Newby Classic Tea Bag Collection – perfect to enjoy after you have prepared one of Hari’s easy curry recipes. Available in 12 varieties, Hari Ghotra curry kits make mastering classic Indian dishes simple, with all the spices you need and easy-to-follow instructions. You can even watch Hari prepare the same delicious curry online! All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning this special prize is: Follow @HariGhotra and @NewbyTeas on Twitter. Then retweet any of Hari’s tweets about the competition between 16th and 22nd October 2017. The lucky winner will be chosen on 23rd October. Good luck! #NewbyHari