In India the name of Woodlands is synonymous with the delights of South Indian vegetarian cuisine.

There are 18 Woodlands establishments spread across India, the first having been established by Mr Krishna Rao in 1938 in Madras and remains there a family run business.

In 1981 Mr Nagaraj, the son-in-law of Mr Rao, entered into a joint venture with the UK based businessman Ranjit Sood to launch Woodlands in the UK.

Classical South Indian dishes include Idli -- a mixture of rice and lentil gently steamed to make soft white puffs, which are served with Sambar, a tangy sauce, and coconut chutney; Utthappam -- a soft lentil pizza available with a variety of toppings, such as onion and chilli or tomato and coconut.

Also available in a myriad of varieties (ten in fact) are Dosas.

The menu of the Woodlands restaurants in the UK differ from those in India, only in that here there are a few Punjabi dishes available too, such as Saag Paneer, Mattar Paneer and Channa.

Ranjit Sood says: "More and more people are turning to vegetarian food in pursuit of a healthier lifestyle