REZA MAHAMMAD, owner of the famed Star Of India in Kensington, TV celebrity and much loved personality, talks about his father’s early struggles when he arrived as a stowaway in 1937. He and a handful of friends attempted to establish Indian cuisine in England and eventually succeeded in changing the eating habits of a nation.

In the latest of our series on food for religious festivals, Mridula Baljekar, cook, television presenter and multi-award winning author, introduces us to the Hindu festivals of Diwali, Onam and Holi.

In Part 1, Mridula talks us through the meaning and celebration of each festival, the various foods that are eaten and what they represent.

In Part 2, she shows us a selection of festival dishes in more detail and demonstrates one or two simple recipes.

Look out for her book Vegetarian Cooking of India  as well as  Great Indian Feasts for an entirely new twist on traditional festive food.