She has been called the Indian Nigella Lawson, her third cookery book is now on the shelves and the accompanying television series starts next month. But the biggest compliment Anjum Anand has received as a chef is from her mother-in-law, who has entrusted her with cooking tonight’s Diwali feast for 30 friends and relatives.

Like most Indian girls, Anand learnt to cook from her mother, and the traditions and habits she picked up in childhood have stayed with her. She still buys her ingredients from the same grocer in Hendon, London, which she insists has “the freshest vegetables and best selection of spices”, and she keeps the same spices in her spice tin.

Her cooking has, however, evolved over the years, as has her relationship with food. “I loved food when I was young but, at 24, I was overweight and started to experiment making healthy Indian food. I have been eating healthily ever since,” she says. “Then I got married and that heavily influenced my style. My family is from Punjab in northern India, so all of the recipes I learnt from my mother were from that region.

But my husband’s family is from Rajasthan and of the Jain faith, which believes in not harming any living creatures, so our house became vegetarian. Once I was married, I spent a while in the kitchen with my mother-in-law learning all of her recipes and her style of cooking, so that I could cook the food my husband grew up with.”

BACKGROUND

• Video: Anjum Anand's North Indian Fish Curry

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• Video: Anjum Anand's My Chicken Korma

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Delicious recipes from Anjum's New Indian book and latest BBC TV series

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Anjum Anand's Keralan chicken

Delicious recipes from Anjum's New Indian book and latest BBC TV series

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On today’s “festival of lights”, which celebrates the end of the harvest in India, Anand will be using all of her experience to put together a traditional feast for her guests, at the centre of which is the pilau. “In India,” she explains, “basmati rice is relatively expensive and normal people can’t afford to have it every day. They eat inferior rice, which varies from area to area, and save up for quality rice, which traditionally comes from the Basmati region, to enjoy on celebrations like Diwali.”

The perfect fragrant, fluffy pilau is hard to perfect, although Anand has got some secrets that guarantee success every time. “Firstly, you have to make sure that the rice is uniform,” she says, “so if there are any discoloured or broken grains, they have to be removed. My mum always used Tilda, because it selects the best quality rice and sorts it before it is packaged, so you don’t need to worry about doing this. I never use anything else. You have to wash the rice until the water remains clear when it is stirred, and then soak it for about 30 minutes. This makes the rice fluffier and lighter.”

And when her guests arrive, in their colourful and bejewelled Indian clothes, it is obvious that the years of learning and perfecting have come together to produce a feast worthy of her mother-in-law’s approval. As the dishes are brought to the table and the smells waft around the candle-lit room, the guests immediately start cramming their plates with the fragrant mushroom pilau, the colourful paneer with peppers, as well as the traditional daal and naan.

And while they all enjoy their meal, Anand hovers around the table, making sure her guests are happy, the candles are lit and the drinks are flowing. “I love cooking for my family and friends,” she smiles, “especially on a magical day like Diwali. I have such strong memories of the parties my mum used to throw and I can’t wait to get out the cards and start the traditional gambling games, which will go on through the night.”

Crispy rice cakes with warm roasted tomato “salsa”

Makes 12-14

400g cooked basmati rice

25g fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

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