Zafar's recipes

I visited my Sister-in-law’s mothers house in Guwahati at the end of the year and was fortunate to be able to spend time in her kitchen...

I was staying at the fabulous Kaav Safari Lodge at Kabini in absolute luxury, with wonderful sightings of tigers at Nagarhole Park and,...

I love lasagna, but I hesitate to make it because of the recipes I have been very involved in. Lasagna is the epitome of slow cooking;...

I was given a few wood apples (also called bael in India) by a neighbour, and since I had never had them before I had to look them up. I...

Hyderabad boasts a number of delicious kebabs, but this one is a decadent speciality. These soft and succulent kebabs are loaded with spices and herbs, and deep fried to perfection. This dish will change everything you know about kebabs. The chef who has been cooking in my mother’s house for the last 20 years, Abida, asked if she could cook this dish, something she has never cooked for them before. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to learn, and share, this little known recipe with...

Custard apples, called sitaphal, dominate the Indian market in October and November. We had been gorging on these fruit here. These fruit...

I wanted to create a Mexican-style chilli that uses a range of Mexican chillies to add depth of flavour. I also wanted to simmer this dish, over an extended period, so the flavours could have time to integrate and shine. This chilli is a labour of love; it takes about 3 hours to make with multiple steps, but the results are outstanding.  A used a combination of chillies: chipotle for smokiness, arbol for some heat, ancho for its distinctive sweet-spicy flavour, mulato for its smoky chocolate...

Banoffee is a portmanteau of the words “banana” and "toffee". It is said to be created in England in 1972 in an Tea House called the...

I was visiting my sister-in-law, Sameena, in Gurgaon and she served me this dip one evening while we were having drinks. I was completely...

I grew up in Mumbai eating greasy and spicy (very spicy) omelettes served with soft fried bread off the street vendors, those were the...

Pan con tomat, which means bread with tomato, is a traditional Spanish tapas, made to highlight flavorful tomatoes and built for the hot...

A fruit sorbet highlights the fruit, it’s ripeness, it’s nuances and everything that is fresh and delicious. Most folks tend to shy away...

I was getting a bit tired of the same old boring, plain scrambled eggs so I decided to create a new recipe to brighten our morning...

A "Shambharo" is a traditional Gujarati dish that is lightly sautéed, mildly spiced and easy to make. It is traditionally served as part...

In my house in California we had a massive persimmon tree, so over the years we have grown to love the fruit. Every year, in November,...

I was visiting my brother in Gurgoan, India when I learned that the cook at the neighbors house was an excellent chef. I took this...

I have been making a version of this soup for folks who have not been well. It is super healthy, nutritious and super tasty. This is a...

Everyone in our home seems to be getting into the kitchen for a turn at the stove. Our maid has seen me cook for a few months now and so...

A Caprese salad is an all-time favourite. Simple, elegant and flavorful, everyone loves this classic.  The dish has a fascinating history. On the island of Capri, they wanted a dish that highlighted the island's produce: tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. But this salad also highlights the colours of the Italian flag, red, green and white. It is reported to have been created at the Hotel Quisisana in the 1920s, when a guest asked for a light dish without meat. This salad was created, and the...

I had this salad from the ovens of the fabulous restaurant Glen Ellen Star. This cozy and unpretentious restaurant serves up almost...