UNITED STATES – This month in the kitchen, I am leaning towards the tried and true, and lessons learnt from others. There is a reason some traditional dishes are timeless.

I have always admired the work of India-born food writer Madhur Jaffrey, whose recipes have been a beacon for me and countless cooks, non-Indian and Indian alike. Jaffrey, ever intrepid – she just turned 92 – has decades of cookbooks behind her and, in a more recent turn, hosted a class on Indian cooking for streaming platform MasterClass.

A long-time friend and mentor of mine, Jaffrey has a way of coaxing a lot of flavour from a few ingredients – good news for anyone who yearns for quickly made dishes. Her quick dishes are fine examples of the elegance of simplicity.

When I propose a shrimp curry, I realise I could hardly improve on the one Jaffrey taught me years ago. Prawn, or shrimp, curry is popular Goan fare, and her clever version is full-flavoured but very easy to prepare, actually perfect for a novice cook.

You start by browning chopped shallots in a pan, to which you add a touch of turmeric, black pepper, bright red Kashmiri chilli powder – well worth looking for – or cayenne and the reddest hot paprika you can find, stirring them into the oil to make a paste.

When simmered with coconut milk, those spices create the most flavourful ruddy sauce, which can be prepared in advance. Cook the shrimp in it just before serving – it all takes just a few minutes. Steamed basmati rice is the natural accompaniment.

Jaffrey has published several iterations of this recipe in her cookbooks. The coconut milk-based sauce may be prepared in advance and the shrimp added just before serving.