Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that folks either love or hate. I personally think it comes down to how the vegetables are cooked. Like all brassicas, this vegetable is very polarising. The first time I had a Brussels sprout, I hated it; it was boiled and mushy. I have since learned to love them, roasted or raw in salads. This is a simple recipe: the Brussels sprouts are flash-seared in a pan until charred and scented with caraway seeds, and a slow, subtle heat f

It is winter, so turnips have flooded the market. I love turnips and try to enjoy them during this time of the year. This is a delicate soup dominated by turnip flavour. The leeks and potatoes temper the turnips' flavours a bit, and the herbs add earthy notes that complement the vegetables. This is a smooth soup, with mild, delicious flavours. I enjoy it for dinner with a few slices of sourdough bread and cheese. This book, Six Seasons, is one of my favourites for a variety o

Poached fruit in red wine is quite common; the most common variation being pears braised in red wine, a very similar recipe. The wine flavour is concentrated and very pronounced. The cherry-producing regions of Italy, Piedmont, Veneto, and Emilia-Romagna have had this recipe for centuries as a way to preserve cherries. From this process came digestivos with cherries that became popular. The fruit and syrup have a deep flavour from the red wine, so use a good quality robust wi

Meatball curry is a common dish in Myanmar. Ther are regional variations in the meat used, more goat in the north and a mix of beef and pork in the south, but the essence of the dish remains the same. This dish exemplifies home-style cooking, elemental to its core, with the simplest of ingredients to create wonderful flavours. These meatball curries are influenced by Indian cuisine in their spice profile and by the Yunnanese technique of creating soft meatballs. In addition,

I was looking for a quick appetiser for a few friends who were coming over. This is the recipe I came across. It is super simple, and my guests loved it. This is a modern twist on Middle Eastern flavours, pita bread, eggplant and tahini. Here they are separated more for visual impact than anything else. The appetiser is superb, the pita has crunch, the roasted eggplant adds a sweet, earthy flavour, the tomatoes add freshness, and the tahini-yoghurt is creamy and delightful. T

Kala namak is a fascinating salt condiment and has been used in Indian cuisine for centuries. It is naturally harvested in the Himalayas, especially around Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Pakistan. It is prized for its medicinal qualities, and there are several references to the salt in early Ayurvedic texts dating back to the 3rd BCE. So let's ask what Kala Namak is? It is Himalayan salt that is mixed with harad seeds, or other plant matter and exposed to high heat. The

One of the most common vegetarian dishes in North India is bharta. It is simple to make and therein lies the magic. The word originates from Sanskrit, "Bhrt", which means "to crush or mash", describing how the dish is prepared. It has a long history dating back to early agrarian communities of the Indo-Gangetic Plains. It can be made with a variety of vegetables, eggplant being the most well-known, but also potatoes, gourds, pumpkins and other vegetables. The magic of the bha

Turkish cuisine is known for its amazing variety of soups, diverse and beautiful. Here is one that I really loved. Let's begin by breaking down the soup name. "Malhuta" means combined or mixed, and refers to the combination of grains and letils. "Eksili" refers to sour that makes this otherwise heavy soup light and refreshing. So the soup means "refreshing sour mixed soup". And that is what it is. The lentils are almost entirely broken down, forming a creamy base. The couscou

From West Sumatra, Minangkabau, comes this aromatic dish, rich and loaded with subtle flavours. It is iconic, a classic, and, in my opinion, fabulous. The curry starts with a paste called bumbu kunning, made from turmeric, coconut milk, and aromatics. Minangkabau cuisine is composed of aromatics, earthy flavours, layers, and boldness. It is traditionally a village dish, cooked in traditional earthen pots, with the ingredients added slowly throughout the cooking process. There

This is a classic recipe in Chettinad. Eggs are a staple, easy to get, cheap and an excellent alternate source of protein. This is a simple and quick recipe. The eggs are boiled, then doused with a dry, peppery, aromatic sauce. The combination is perfect; tangy tomatoes form the base of the curry, and the spices infuse it beautifully. This dish is usually served as an appetiser, especially with drinks, but you can also serve it as a side dish. This South Indian cookbook bring

This is a poriyal, but not in the truest sense. A traditional poriyal is a South Indian dish, primarily seen in Tamil Nadu, that is a dry stir-fried vegetable dish with a specific recipe. Here, the recipe is followed, but the dish is made as a curry; it is very unusual. This is a robust curry. The flavours are bold, the eggplant soft and creamy. I love the combination of spicy and sour that this dish portrays. Southern Spice is a thin volume of amazing recipes by a master che

If there is a sambol quintessential to the Sri Lankan table, it is gotukola sambol. It is recognised by the fresh green colour and the light aromatic aroma. I had not had gorukala, or pennywort, before this trip; I had seen recipes with it and so was curious. Early in the trip, I had a chance not just to taste this dish, but also to make it. We had gone to a home to prepare dishes for the Katina poojava ceremony, the most important of Buddhist ceremonies. We were invited to p

My last day in Tokyo was a lovely afternoon with the Kikkoman team, where we all took turns cooking a dish or two and chatting about the trip, forming new friendships. It was an afternoon of camaraderie, laughter and great food. We had spent the morning at the market, buying ingredients, more on a whim than with a plan. I had also brought a few ingredients down from India, knowing this afternoon was on the agenda. Here is a simple dish that brings together the flavours of Jap

Sciusceddu is a mouthful, it is delicious! It is a soup, but I call it a meal. It originated in the city of Messina and is strongly associated with Easter. It is served at Easter lunch and symbolises renewal and abundance. The meat symbolises the end of the Lenten fast, and the eggs and cheese highlight abundance. The history of Sciusceddu is layered and deep. The earliest references date back to the 4th century to a cheese and cheese soup called "juscellum). The Arabs added

I recently took a trip with Peter Kuruvita to the southern part of the island. At one of your stops, we demonstrated how to make a moju. It is a simple recipe and belongs to the family of Sri Lankan achacharus and sambols. A moju is typically Sri Lankan, but the word originated from Malay, "mochua", meaning to pickle or preserve. It is a typical dish made with practically anything —vegetables, fish, meat, or sometimes fruit —and characterised by a spicy, sour, and sweet flav

Taro is commonly found throughout India and is widely used as a staple food. It is one of the earliest crops and made its entry into India before the potato, which is relatively recent. Taro has historical references in the Vedas and early AyurVedic writings. It is a very easy crop to grow, both in the lower wetlands and on higher altitudes, making it a very hardy and versatile crop. Every culture in India utilises this vegetable in its root form, and some even incorporate th

In July of this year, I took a trip to Angola, one of the least touristy destinations in the world. This was a superb cultural and culinary trip organised by Roads & Kingdoms , and hosted by the fabulous food writer, historian, and cultural guru who was our guide for the week. On my first night, we went out to a local restaurant,  Churrascaria Nandinhos, renowned for its BBQ'ed chicken. I have lived in the US, and BBQ'ed chicken in the Virginia belt was what I considered th

The Chettinad table is loaded with chutneys and condiments. They add to the complexity of flavours on the table and provide that pop of...

One of the least known cuisines in India is Assamese muslim-influenced cuisine. This is a tale of migration, royal kingdoms, trade and...

There is an art to flat iron cooking, which involves cooking on griddles, skillets, planchas, teppans or simply on large flat surfaces....