Simmer

 A plant-based alternative to this traditionally pork-heavy dish restores the potato to its rightful place as the star of the stew.

Like regular fish sauce, this vegan version packs a subtle umami punch—but a little goes a long way.

Adobo is commonly made with chicken, pork, or squid, but this one relies on mushrooms for a boost of umami flavor and meaty texture.

Spicy, tangy, oh-so-melty-and-ooey-gooey—these chana masala fries hit on all levels. This particular spin on chana masala leans toward vegetarian chili, with a heavy dose of tomatoes and a kick from both Kashmiri chili powder and a couple serrano chiles. Some of the chickpeas are mashed part way through cooking to achieve a thick, spoonable texture akin to Cincinnati-style chili (read: not chunky or watery). Quick tip: If you’re strapped for time, feel free to use store-bought sweet potato fries)…

A salad of brown lentils, dressed with sliced onions and a mustard vinaigrette, is perfect for picnicking. 

This vegan chili has a bold flavor that's so satisfying. Quinoa, which is rich in protein, adds texture. 

Sometimes all you need is just a couple of fresh ingredients thrown into a pan of simply seasoned dal to create a warming and comforting dish. The spinach along with a little yogurt makes this soothing yet deeply delicious.

The simple spices used in the sauce lend this chicken korma a lovely warmth while cashews, poppy seeds, and onions bring creaminess.

Charred zucchini pairs particularly well with sharp flavors; here it’s matched by the deep savory notes of preserved-lemon paste and the tang of creamy feta.

Fish fragrant sauce doesn’t actually have any fish in it, but the sweet, sour, and spicy elements in the sauce are traditionally used to cook Sichuan fish dishes, and it gives this dish its name.

The complex flavor of this dish—briny, aromatic, slightly spicy—belies the extraordinarily simple method of actually making it.

Smoky, subtly sweet grilled broccoli feels luxurious served on a bed of creamy egg salad, turning this dish into a satisfying, comforting main meal.

The defining characteristic of this chile sauce is the crispness, and in my version I’ve included old-fashioned rolled oats and coconut flakes for extra crunch. You will find me adding it to pasta, eggs, jook, pizza and, of course, roasted vegetables. 

For an easy, low-cook dinner, toss canned chickpeas with potatoes, cilantro-mint chutney, tamarind chutney, and yogurt, then top with chiles, onions, tomatoes, and chaat masala.

If any risotto could be a summer dish, it’s this one, topped with perfectly caramelized scallops and flavored with fresh basil and pineapple juice.

Juicy ripe peaches and beautiful pink salmon scream summer. A little curry paste and herbs keep this sweet- spicy curry squarely in the savory realm, and a drizzle of reduced coconut cream cools things off.

Masa is the essence of Mexico. It is the foundation of Mexican cooking. In Oaxaca, a lot of families still make their own nixtamal at home to supply their daily masa consumption. Nixtamal is the process of treating dried corn with an alkaline solution to make it more nutritious. Slaking lime—also known as pickling lime, a naturally occurring mineral compound—has been used for thousands of years for this process. After a night of soaking, the nixtamalized corn is ground and transformed into masa. This technique has been passed from generation to generation, especially in Oaxaca. Every night before my mom goes to bed, she nixtamalizes a batch of corn so she can make fresh masa the next morning. It’s part of her nightly routine.    The trickiest part of making masa might be grinding it, and for that I recommend a tabletop wet stone mill or a hand-cranked wet grinder. I like Premier’s Small Wonder 1.5-liter tabletop wet grinder.    Believe me, there is nothing more fulfilling than making your own masa at home.

This peanut sauce recipe is based on my mom's version, which accompanies Gado Gado. Raw peanuts are roasted on the stovetop or in the oven, and then ground. You'll also have to hunt down tamarind pulp and lime leaves, but it's worth the trouble—the addition of freshly roasted peanuts and fragrant herbs makes for unsurpassed flavor.

Sharp and sweet, rhubarb and beets were made for one another, and this soup is a fitting celebration of their union.