“When most people think of laksa, a bowl of brothy slurpy noodles comes first to mind, so a dry laksa might sound like a curious thing. I first had dry laksa at a friend’s place. Her father would politely interrupt every maths revision session with a plate of food, because ‘you can’t study on an empty stomach’. I vividly remember Uncle’s dry laksa; he had tried it at a trendy new café and recreated it for us…

“There are many versions of egg curry; this is one I learnt from a Singaporean Indian friend, who in turn learnt and adapted it from her mum. The fennel seeds give an aniseed fragrance that’s common to many Tamil curries, tomatoes and tamarind lend a sweet-sour tang, while the coconut milk (just a tiny drizzle!) adds a touch of creaminess…

“If I had to pick my favourite British food, the humble roast chicken would definitely be one of my top contenders. I love everything about roast chicken – the homely smell that permeates the kitchen as it cooks in the oven, the theatre of bringing a whole bird to the table and carving it to share, the delicious contrast of crisp brown skin and juicy meat…