I loved this combination of figs and foie. Last year, I was travelling in Krakow, Hungary, and I found this little shop at the farmers' market that specialised in charcuterie. I was stocking up on Bresaola and smoked venison sausages when I spied these small cans of foie gras, goose liver pate, in the corner. I had to pick up a few. The owner explained that these were special cans infused with their spectacular Tokai sweet wine. The pairing is lovely, with the wine's sweetnes

Sometimes a soup brings out the vegetable's freshness and flavour. This is the soup that pushes boring zucchini to a masterful vegetable. For this recipe, use only young zucchini, not older ones, and red, ripe tomatoes with a beautiful flavour. This is a simple soup, and ingredients matter so much. The soup can be left chunky, but I find that folks are put off by the soft vegetables and end up focusing on the flavours rather than the beautiful soup. So I puree the soup to a t

This is a recipe from the island of Lombok, off the coast of Bali. It is a very traditional recipe that beautifully brings together the islands' spice profile. The spatchcocked chicken is brushed with a deep sambol sauce, one that is fiery and bold. When I first tasted the marinade, it was too spicy to use, so I diluted it a bit with pureed tomatoes to maintain the bright colour and calm the spices. The meat was brined oevrnight and the chicken turned out succulent and wonder

A tumbet is specific to Mallorca; it is unique to the region. It highlights the bounty of the land and the abundance of vegetables. It is country cooking at its best, the vegetables taking centre stage. The dish is influenced by the Arabs, Moorish farming and cooking techniques. The Moors ruled the Balearic Islands from the 10th to the 13th centuries, bringing advanced irrigation and cultivation techniques. They also introduced vegetables such as tomatoes and eggplants. From

Kaya comes from the term "thick coconut milk" and is characteristic of this style of curry. The spices are freshly roasted and ground for a lovely flavour, and the coconut milk adds a gentle sweetness to the spice. Mutton was held in high regard in the community as a sign of prosperity and hospitality. It was usually prepared for honoured guests and for family get-togethers. Coconut was used more for balance, to smooth out the heat from the pepper and chillies, and as a count

Some recipes come from the dessert, and this is one of them. The recipe is about a few ingredients and is cooked slowly to extract flavour and nourishment. Lentils form the core of this soup, slow-cooked until they retain a lovely bite, and spinach is added for colour and nourishment. The magic in the soup is the topping of coriander and garlic (taklia), which adds a pop and wonderful flavour. The soup is filling, and the slow cooking allows the community ot travellers to com

I have always believed that vegetables can be delicious, and this dish proves it. Whenever I have it on the table, I ask the hardcore carnivores to at least try it, and then I notice they almost always go back for seconds. This is a beautiful dish; the vegetables add a splash of colour, studded with mustard seeds and glazed with caramelised maple syrup. There is spice, sweetness and different textures. I sometimes make this as a main course and enjoy the vegetables for their

Our first day in Sri Lanka was the Katina Poojava, also known as Katina Pinkama, one of the most important Buddhist festivals. The entire community participates, organising, cooking dishes and preparing for this event. Our host, Yasassri, was contributing by making a few dishes. Together we cooked three dishes, see recipes below: Boiled manioc with grated coconut (Kaha manioc) Pumpkin curry with blackened coconut (Wattakka kalu pol maluwa) Pennywort sambols (Gotukola sambol)

Sometimes, a curry is a story, a piece of history, and so much more than a beautiful dish. To appreciate this curry, we need to understand Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya is about 1500 meters above sea level, and on the slopes of the mountains. It is cool, it has a thick forest densely populated by elephants, and it is beautiful. It was part of the Kandian Kingdom and was later discovered by the English, who turned it into a hill station retreat for the elite. In the 1850s, it was

I love an omelette, especially if it is made well. The French-style omelettes are fluffy and decadent, the eggs melting softly onyour palate. The magic in an omelette is the heat, gentle and with slight colour, although I do have to admit I do like colour on my eggs. In addition, the continual movement that makes them fluffy is to get the foam at the start correct; this breaks up all the albumen and makes the texture perfect. This omelette is no exception. It is decadent with

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

The cuisine of Bihar is as yet unknown to me. I keep hearing about it from friends, and I am anxious to eat and learn about these dishes. This is a classic dish I've heard rave reviews about, so I began seeking out a recipe for it. Bihari mutton curry is also called Champaran curry or Ahuna mutton. It hails from Motihari, Champaran district. The dish highlights village-style cooking, traditionally made in earthen pots called "ahuna," which gives it its alternative name. The m

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

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