The aroma of a lasagna while it is baking is heaven. The molten parmesan, the cooking pasta and the herbs and spices make it almost irresistible. I love a good lasagna; there is so much flavour hidden in the layers, and the variations are unlimited. However, I very rarely make one because a good lasagna takes effort. There are at least three components, the three layers of the lasagna as the very least. But on a cold day, a lasagna is the perfect comfort food, hot, with the g

Very few foods make me happier than a nice bowl of hot soup in the winter. It warms you up, not just physically, but also makes me happy. I think this comes down to the fact that I grew up with soups; my mother would give us hot soup on cold, rainy plantations during the monsoon season. This is a lovely soup with Indian flair and a touch of the Middle East. The lentil soup is delicate and creamy, the tomatoes adding a subtle tartness and the harissa adding a touch of spice. T

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