In Indian food, since this is a grill offering, the curries are absent. Take the Malabar prawns, for example. The are grilled with spices like dhania and curry leaves that bring out a south Indian flavour along with some green pepper mayonnaise to give it a different touch. Or the pak choy (a vegetable used in Thai cooking) with baby tomatoes and a Goan Caldin curry.

Anand's food is all about experimenting. All the combinations are different, some bordering on the outrageous, but obviously good to eat. The spicy vegetable fritters with plum chutney and mango mayonnaise. The idea is simple but the execution good, as the surprise element lies in the mango mayonnaise. The figs poached in tea and spices or the fig and ginger sundae. Both the fig and ginger flavours are mild served with vanilla ice cream.

Aanad has popularised her brand of spices with her own label Karen that she says has only the purest of ingredients. The line also includes preservers, marmalades, salad dressings and specialty sauces. ``None of my products use ingredients to give bulk unlike most of the other brands. Half a teaspoon of my masala is equal to more than a teaspoon of any other brand,'' she says.

Being a consultant to several hotels and restaurants around the country, Anand has also become successful in popularising her style of cooking. And the current festival, `Flavours of Asia', is another promotion that proves her versatility in the kitchen.

--Vidya Deshpande