The Indian kitchen, says Ratna Rajaiah, is a goldmine. The former advertising professional and mid-day columnist has dedicated a fair bit of time unravelling the wealth that it holds. There is the golden yellow turmeric, the queen of all spices; the power-packed ragi; the sweet brown jaggery; the potent antioxidant ginger, and the "first among all foods", rice, which she describes as the "grain of tranquillity". Yet, it surprises her, that we tend to over-rely on the goodness of what-s foreign and alien.

Quinoa, a name many Indians would struggle to pronounce, has been elevated to wonder-food status; feta cheese is now making a regular appearance in salads, and eating raw has suddenly become fashionable.