Chicken dhansak is a timeless Indian dish where the humble lentil is transformed into something wonderful. Overlay some big Bengali flavours and it might become a new classic. Heresy? Maybe. But I like it. A lot. Because it’s just tasty. And it’s way easier than the original. That’s a dish meant for Sunday dinner. For special occasions. Serious business. This is an easier version of dhansak This is easy. Chicken dhansak for weeknights....

This isn’t authentic. Chicken paprikash is a braised dish. This is a technique I came up with to try to get somewhere close to braised chicken flavour with crispy skin. Invest in some fresh quality Hungarian paprika. Paprika is the star of this dish. If your star ingredient is weak your results will be weak. You can mix your paprikas up to taste as well. Want a hint of smoke? Use a bit of smoked paprika....

Grill roasted leg of lamb is a great way to bring summer flavours to a wintery cut of meat. The Greeks know this. They have since about the beginning of time. Whole lamb on a spit over a fire is a Greek party classic. This is just as good – just on a smaller scale. Smoke kissed lamb seasoned simply with garlic and rosemary with a lemon jus. Hard to beat....

This one is epic. Korean pork bone soup or gamjatang is an all day affair. Rainy day cooking. Hurry up and wait as it simmers away. But when it’s ready. What a great dinner on a rainy or cold winter night. Gamjatang is pork bone soup that eats like a meal It’s called pork bone soup but it’s more of a stew. Spicy, rich and delicious. Tender pork. Potatoes. Pork stock....

Miso chicken with maple and ginger takes every day chicken and turns it into something special. Japanese flavours meets roasted chicken in a sure-fire hit. For when you need something really tasty but don’t feel like doing a ton of work. Meet miso – it’s a serious flavour bomb I’m a miso fan. It’s one of those flavours that works with everything. Doesn’t overpower. Complements flavours. Creeps up on things and makes them better....

Yucatan pulled pork – cochinita pibil – is one the most flavourful pulled pork dishes out there. It’s loaded with big citrus and achiote taste. Roasted garlic and some good old fashioned smoke pushes it way over the top. This is pulled pork Mexican style. If you are thinking about a taco party it’s not easy to do better than this. Seriously. I smile when I make this. Because I know everyone will love it....

Chili is a funny thing. Everybody’s got a recipe and no two are alike. Some focus on the chilies. Some on the meat. Some have beans. Some don’t. Some are closer to Mex. Some are definitely Tex. Some taste like spaghetti sauce with a bit of grocery store pre-fab mystery chili powder thrown in. Some I get. Some I don’t. This black bean chili is one I get. I hope you get it too....

Carnitas are little bits of crispy delicious pork that make the best tacos. These are taqueria style carnitas you can make at home. Pork poached in lard. What is better than that? Sound crazy to you? Consider this. Duck confit is duck poached in duck fat. And duck confit is probably the second greatest thing you can put in your mouth. The concept is not exclusive to the French. They may not have invented it....

You don’t need to look beyond chicken 65 to find a killer appetizer for your next Indian inspired dinner party. It is just that good. Not a huge shocker. It’s spiced, deep fried chicken bites. Not good enough? Toss those morsels of chicken with some more spice and crispy fried curry leaves. Still not good enough? Serve it up with bits of shallot, green chili and cilantro. Still not good enough?...

Easy pad thai. That’s three words that make me smile. This is the classic noodle stir fry that everybody loves. Famous for a reason. It’s absolutely delicious. There’s no reason you can’t make it yourself. It’s a snap to make. Comes together in no time. Perfect for weeknight dinners. This is street style cooking. High heat. Everything ready to go. Just bang it out. Like you were working a stall in Bangkok....

Murgir jhol is classic Bengali chicken curry. This is pure Indian home cooking. Simple. Straight forward. And delicious. Family food. It’s not fancy. It’s not flashy. And it’s not like the curry you get in restaurants. It’s just good. I think so anyway. Hopefully you agree. This is eastern Indian cooking. The flavours I grew up eating. My comfort food. When I was a kid this was just called chicken curry....

Make chicken noodle soup from scratch at least once in your life. There’s something almost magical about it. Depth of flavour that brings you back to your childhood. Homemade chicken noodle soup is serious comfort food. This has absolutely nothing in common with store bought soup. Chicken noodle soup from scratch is to store bought canned soup like perfectly grilled New York striploin steaks are to boiled hamburger. Maybe I’m overstating it but you get the idea....

This mac and cheese is so good it will outshine your lovingly prepared mains. It’s a star attraction. I know. I’ve done it to myself. More than once. This is one of those recipes that you have to be careful with. It’s good. Very good. Crazy good. But it can be a secret weapon as well. Imagine you are going to a pot luck and you want to be the one that blows everyone away....

Lamb keema matar. Never heard of it? That’s a shame. Because it’s crazy delicious. Lamb. Spices. A rich sauce. And a serving of vegetables built in. Peas in fact. May sound strange. But it works. Really, really well. And you can make it in 30 minutes. From a standing start. That’s just good living. I think anyway. Lamb keema matar is a dish you should be making Everybody’s heard of chicken tikka masala....

Thai tom yum soup is a classic Thai dish for a reason. It’s delicious. And you can make it at home like they serve in restaurants. It’s really pretty easy. You might have to visit an Asian grocer to get some of the ingredients but after that you are making soup. And simple soup at that. This is tom yum goong. That’s tom yum with shrimp. But it’s also tom yum kung....

Tom kha gai is one crazy tasty bowl of creamy delicious Thai chicken soup. This is sort of that recipe. But not quite. Confused? Understandable. Think tom kha gai. Add the satisfying slurp of noodles. That’s everything good. In one big bowl of delicious noodle soup. That’s what this is. The gentle heat of Thai red curry. The sour tang of lime leaf. Tender bits of chicken. And rice noodles. All wrapped up in creamy coconut milk....

Lemon coriander chicken curry is one of the very first curries I ever learned to cook. I cook dozens of curries now but this one is special to me. It’s different. Not a run of the mill curry. The sauce is on the runny side. No onion at all. Not what you’d expect. But so good. Lemon coriander chicken curry is Indian comfort food It’s homestyle Indian cooking. Like somebody’s mom used to make....

Want something different? Something that isn’t the same 10 curries you make over and over? Aloo chaat chicken curry is one of the tastiest Indian curries you have never heard of. Aloo chaat chicken curry doesn’t exist on a menu anywhere that I’m aware of. I made it up. It’s different from the run-of-the-mill curries you see on almost every Indian restaurant menu. And what makes it special is the chaat masala....

I’m a big fan of Indian food. I grew up on it so it’s in my blood. Homestyle Indian, mind you. Not what you get in restaurants. Tandoori chicken was always going on. It’s the Indian equivalent of a backyard barbecue. That’s why I don’t understand why it’s never very good in restaurants. My parents had a backyard grill. Restaurants have a tandoor oven. They should win. Makes no sense....

Fresh Vietnamese spring rolls are loaded with fresh herb flavour. Dip them in a salty, spicy, creamy peanut sauce and you have a match made in heaven. Once you get the hang of making these you will want to make them again and again. They are seriously addictive. Vietnamese spring rolls – fresh or fried? This is a tough one. Fried are good. Really good. Crispy. Salty. Perfect for dipping into that wonderful nuoc cham sauce you see at every Vietnamese or Thai restaurant....