Featured recipe

Durban prawn curry

Durban's beachfront takeaways and Indian family kitchens along the North Coast make prawn curry fast: the gravy of tomato, red masala, mustard seeds and curry leaves is cooked first, and the prawns go in only for the last few minutes. The result is a tangy, fiery red sauce with sweet, juicy prawns, lighter and sharper than a slow meat curry. Serve it with white rice or soft rotis and a wedge of lemon. Overcooking is the big mistake: prawns turn rubbery within a minute or two of being done, so take the pot off as soon as they are pink and opaque all the way through. Chef's tip: thaw frozen prawns overnight in the fridge and pat them very dry, or their water thins the gravy.

What to eat today?

Around the world

Today's trip: Peruvian

A new country every day, from every cuisine on the site.

Peruvian

Tacacho

Mashed roasted green plantain balls 35 minMore from Peruvian (111) →

This week's collection

Kid-friendly dinners772 recipes · a new collection every Monday

New this week

See all new →

Coming up

All occasions →

Latest recipes

Tapioca crêpeCassava starch crêpe

Tapioca is the Northeast's favourite breakfast, cooked on griddles at beach stalls from Recife to Fortaleza and now loved all over Brazil. Damp cassava starch (goma) is sieved into a hot dry pan, where it fuses into a thin white disc that's soft, chewy and slightly crisp. This recipe gives two classic fillings: melting cheese with butter, and coconut with condensed milk. Chef's tip: hydrate the starch until it feels like damp sand that holds when squeezed, then sieve it into the pan and never press it down. A loose, even layer is what makes the starch melt into one lacy, flexible sheet.

15 min

Brazilian Breakfast & Brunch

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pholourie with tamarind chutneySplit pea fritters with tamarind chutney

Pholourie are little round fritters sold by the bag at doubles stands, school gates and parties all over Trinidad, especially through Divali and Christmas. A turmeric-yellow batter made with ground split peas and flour is dropped by the spoonful into hot oil, where it puffs into crisp-skinned, soft, spongy balls. They're always served with a sticky tamarind chutney spiked with garlic, shado beni and pepper. Unlike Indian pakoras, there are no vegetables in the batter: pholourie is all about the soft, light dough and the dip. Chef's tip: beat the batter hard for a few minutes until it's thick, smooth and falls off the spoon in a sticky blob. Well-beaten batter traps air, so the pholourie puff up round and light instead of flat and greasy.

40 min

Trinidadian Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Vegetable pelauRice and pigeon pea one-pot

Pelau is the dish of the Trinidad beach lime and family gathering: rice and pigeon peas cooked in one big pot, coloured a deep brown by sugar caramelised in oil until almost burnt, then simmered with coconut milk, green seasoning and a whole hot pepper. It's usually made with chicken; here deeply browned mushrooms and chunks of pumpkin carry the savoury depth, so it's still rich, smoky-sweet and moreish. Serve with coleslaw, sliced cucumber and pepper sauce. Chef's tip: let the sugar go further than feels safe: it should melt, froth and turn the colour of dark chocolate, just starting to smoke, before anything goes in. Too pale and the pelau tastes sweet; too black and it's bitter.

60 min

Trinidadian Rice & Grains

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pão de queijoCheese bread puffs

Pão de queijo comes from Minas Gerais, where every café and grandmother's kitchen has a tray in the oven for breakfast or afternoon coffee. Made with cassava starch (polvilho) instead of wheat flour, the little rolls are crisp and golden outside and stretchy, cheesy and almost hollow inside. Mineiros use queijo minas meia-cura; a mix of Parmesan-style cheese and mozzarella is the closest match elsewhere. Chef's tip: pour the boiling milk and oil over the starch (escaldar). Scalding cooks part of the starch, and that's what gives the chewy, elastic inside; and use some sour starch (polvilho azedo), which makes them puff up tall.

45 min

Brazilian Baking

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Stew peas with spinnersKidney bean stew with dumplings

Stew peas is a thick, comforting Jamaican one-pot of red kidney beans simmered in coconut milk until creamy, studded with 'spinners', small hand-rolled dumplings. It's a classic Wednesday or Saturday dinner across the island, usually cooked with pig's tail and salt beef. Here mushrooms browned hard and a little smoked paprika bring the savoury depth instead, so nothing is missing. Serve over plain white rice. Chef's tip: when the beans are soft, crush a ladleful against the side of the pot. Stew peas should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, and the crushed beans give that body without any flour.

95 min

Jamaican Curries

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pudim de leite condensadoCondensed milk flan

Pudim de leite condensado is the dessert of Brazilian Sunday lunch, served in every home and por-quilo restaurant from north to south. It's richer and denser than a French crème caramel: condensed milk, milk and eggs baked in a water bath in a ring tin, then turned out under a glossy layer of dark caramel. Chef's tip: bake it gently in a water bath and keep the water just below a simmer. Too much heat makes the bubbles that leave the pudim full of little holes; Brazilians prize a smooth, silky pudim lisinho.

75 min

Brazilian Desserts

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Palm heart and plantain moquecaPalm heart and plantain coconut stew

Moqueca is the great stew of Bahia, cooked in a clay pot with coconut milk, tomatoes, peppers and dendê, the red palm oil that gives Salvador's food its colour and flavour. Fish is usual on the coast, but moqueca de palmito e banana-da-terra, with heart of palm and ripe plantain, is a much-loved vegetarian version: sweet, tangy and fragrant with coriander and lime. Serve with white rice and farofa. Chef's tip: layer the vegetables rather than frying them, and add half the dendê at the start and half at the very end. The final splash keeps its fruity, nutty aroma, which is the real taste of Bahia.

40 min

Brazilian Curries

by KrazyBadal 0 views

VinagreteTomato and onion salsa

Vinagrete, also called molho à campanha in the South, is the fresh, tangy salsa that goes on every Brazilian barbecue table and next to feijoada, acarajé and grilled cheese. Finely diced tomato, onion and green pepper are bathed in vinegar, olive oil and a little water, so it's halfway between a salad and a sauce. Chef's tip: soak the chopped onion in cold water for 5 minutes and drain. It takes away the harsh bite while keeping the crunch, so the salsa tastes clean and bright instead of raw.

10 min

Brazilian Chutneys & Dips

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Sorrel drinkHibiscus drink

Sorrel is the drink of a Jamaican Christmas: in December the markets fill with the red flowers (the calyces of a hibiscus), and every home brews a big batch to share. They're steeped with lots of fresh ginger, pimento and cloves, then sweetened, giving a deep ruby drink that's tart, spicy and refreshing over ice. Many families add a splash of white or dark rum for the adults. Chef's tip: be generous with the ginger and let it steep overnight. A long, cool steep pulls out the colour and a fiery ginger bite without the bitterness of over-boiling.

30 min

Jamaican Drinks

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Acarajé with vegan vatapáBlack-eyed pea fritters with coconut paste

Acarajé is the street food of Salvador da Bahia, fried to order by the baianas de acarajé in their white lace dresses; the craft is protected as part of Brazil's cultural heritage. Peeled black-eyed peas are ground with onion, whipped until light and fried in dendê into crisp, airy fritters, then split and filled with vatapá, a rich paste of coconut, peanuts, cashews and ginger. Street versions add dried shrimp; this one leaves it out and leans on dendê and toasted nuts for depth. Add vinagrete and pepper sauce as they do in Salvador. Chef's tip: beat the bean paste until it's pale and fluffy, and test a little in a glass of water: when it floats, it's ready. That trapped air is what makes acarajé light inside.

120 min

Brazilian Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Aloo pieFried potato pastry pockets

Aloo pie is a Trinidadian street snack: a soft, chewy fried dough shaped like a big half-moon, filled with mashed potato seasoned with roasted geera, garlic, pepper and shado beni. It's sold at doubles stands, roti shops and school canteens all over the island, and the classic way to eat it is split open and loaded with curry channa, tamarind sauce and pepper. It's softer and breadier than an Indian samosa. Chef's tip: roast the geera seeds yourself until they're dark brown and fragrant, then grind them. That deep, smoky cumin flavour is what makes Trini aloo pie taste the way it should.

60 min

Trinidadian Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Zaru sobaChilled buckwheat noodles

Zaru soba (ざるそば) is the simplest and most loved way to eat buckwheat noodles in Japan, served chilled on a bamboo tray (zaru) with a small cup of dipping sauce. You pick up a mouthful of noodles, dip them, and slurp. The usual tsuyu sauce is made with bonito; this one gets its savoury depth from kombu and dried shiitake. Refreshing on a hot day, with grated wasabi, spring onion and a little nori. Chef's tip: the ice-water rinse is not optional. It washes off the surface starch and tightens the noodles so they're slippery and firm; soba shops call this 'shime', the finishing chill.

20 min

Japanese Pasta & Noodles

by KrazyBadal 1 views

Vegetable tempura

Tempura (天ぷら) became a Tokyo street food in the Edo period, when stalls fried it to order by the city's riverbanks. The secret to the thin, lacy coating is an ice-cold, lumpy batter mixed at the last second and vegetables fried in small batches. Sweet potato, aubergine, pepper, shiitake and green beans all work well. Serve straight from the pan with a light dipping sauce and grated daikon. Chef's tip: keep everything cold. Use ice-cold water, mix the batter only seconds before frying, leave it lumpy, and stand the bowl in a larger bowl of ice. Cold batter hitting hot oil is what makes the lacy, crackly shell that Tokyo tempura masters prize.

35 min

Japanese Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Yaki onigiriGrilled rice balls

Yaki onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are rice balls grilled until they form a crisp, toasty crust, then brushed with soy sauce glaze. They are eaten all over Japan, at izakaya, at barbecues and from the freezer section, as a snack or with miso soup. The inside stays soft and steamy while the outside crackles. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan. Chef's tip: let the shaped rice balls dry for 10 minutes before they go in the pan. A drier surface forms a better crust and won't stick, and the glaze goes on only at the end so it doesn't burn.

30 min

Japanese Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 2 views

Vegetable gyoza

Gyoza (餃子) came to Japan from China and became a passion in Utsunomiya, a city north of Tokyo that calls itself the gyoza capital, with a gyoza statue outside the station. These vegetarian dumplings are filled with salted cabbage, shiitake, tofu and garlic chives. They're pan-fried and then steamed, so the bottoms turn crisp and golden while the tops stay soft. Shape a big batch and freeze some for later. Chef's tip: squeeze the salted cabbage really hard. Watery filling makes soggy, torn gyoza; a dry filling keeps the wrappers sealed and the bottoms crisp.

60 min

Japanese Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Edamame with sea salt

Edamame (枝豆) are young green soybeans cooked in their pods, the classic snack with a cold drink in izakaya and beer gardens all over Japan, especially in summer. You squeeze the beans straight from the salty pod into your mouth. Rubbing the pods with salt before boiling seasons them through and keeps them bright green. They're a good source of plant protein too. Chef's tip: rub the pods with salt before boiling, as izakaya cooks do. It scrubs off the fuzz, keeps the pods bright green and seasons the beans inside.

8 min

Japanese Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Vegetable miso ramen

Miso ramen was born in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and is now eaten all over Japan. This vegetarian version builds a deep broth from kombu and dried shiitake instead of pork bones, then thickens it with miso and toasted sesame paste. A pile of quickly stir-fried cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot and sweetcorn goes on top with a soft-boiled egg. Slurp it while it's piping hot on a cold day. Chef's tip: fry the miso paste for a minute in the hot wok with the garlic and ginger before it meets the broth, as Sapporo shops do; the toasted miso gives the soup its deep, roasted flavour.

35 min

Japanese Pasta & Noodles

by KrazyBadal 0 views

TamagoyakiRolled omelette

Tamagoyaki (卵焼き) is a rolled omelette made in layers, found in breakfast trays and bento boxes all over Japan. Thin sheets of seasoned egg are cooked one at a time and rolled up around each other, giving soft, springy slices with pretty spiral lines. This is the gently sweet home style; a little soy keeps it savoury. A square tamagoyaki pan helps, but a small round frying pan works too. Chef's tip: keep the heat moderate and the pan well oiled between layers. If the egg browns, the heat is too high; a good tamagoyaki is evenly yellow with just a few golden patches.

15 min

Japanese Breakfast & Brunch

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Sigeumchi namulSeasoned spinach

Sigeumchi namul (시금치나물) is a quick side dish of blanched spinach dressed with garlic, a little soy sauce and plenty of toasted sesame. It is one of the banchan found on tables all over Korea, and it is also one of the toppings in bibimbap. The spinach is blanched for just a few seconds so it stays bright green, then squeezed dry so it takes on the dressing. Serve at room temperature with rice and other banchan. Chef's tip: squeeze the spinach really hard before seasoning. Any water left in it dilutes the sesame dressing and makes the namul taste watery.

10 min

Korean Sides

by KrazyBadal 0 views

PajeonSpring onion pancake

Pajeon (파전) is a savoury pancake packed with whole spring onions held together by a thin batter. Dongnae, a district of Busan, is famous for its version, made with rice flour in the batter and finished with beaten egg poured over the top; Dongnae pajeon is usually loaded with seafood, which is left out here. Korean families often make it on rainy days and eat it with a soy and vinegar dip. Keep the batter ice cold and the pan hot for the crispest edges. Chef's tip: use just enough batter to glue the spring onions together. Dongnae cooks want you to taste spring onion first and batter second, so it should look lacy, not cakey.

25 min

Korean Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

OkonomiyakiSavoury cabbage pancake

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, 'grilled as you like it') is the pride of Osaka, where it's cooked on hot iron griddles in lively restaurants. Finely shredded cabbage is folded into a light batter with egg and spring onion, then fried into a thick, soft pancake with a crisp outside. It's painted with a fruity brown sauce and zigzagged with mayonnaise. Bonito flakes are usual on top; this vegetarian version uses seaweed flakes and pickled ginger instead. Chef's tip: don't press the pancake down with your spatula while it cooks. Osaka cooks leave it alone so the cabbage steams inside and stays light and fluffy; pressing squeezes out the air.

35 min

Japanese Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 1 views

OmuriceOmelette-wrapped fried rice

Omurice (オムライス) is a yōshoku dish, Western-style Japanese food, said to have been invented at a Tokyo restaurant around 1900. Tangy ketchup fried rice is wrapped in a thin, soft omelette and topped with more ketchup. Chicken is usual inside; this vegetarian version uses mushrooms, sweetcorn, peas and onion. A favourite with children, and on the table in half an hour. Chef's tip: pull the pan off the heat while the top of the omelette is still a little runny; it finishes cooking from the heat of the rice, and stays soft and silky as in a Tokyo yōshoku diner.

30 min

Japanese Rice & Grains

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Yaki udonStir-fried udon noodles

Yaki udon (焼うどん) was first made in Kitakyushu, in northern Kyushu, just after the war, when a café owner ran out of soba for yakisoba and fried udon instead. The thick, chewy noodles are tossed in a hot pan with cabbage, onion, mushrooms and carrot, then glazed with soy, mirin and a little vegetarian Worcestershire-style sauce. Meat is usual in Japan; this vegetarian version gets its richness from shiitake and a fried egg on top. A fast, filling weeknight supper. Chef's tip: get the pan really hot and leave the noodles alone for 30 seconds at a time, so they pick up slightly charred edges; that smoky 'koge' is what makes yaki udon taste like the street-stall version.

20 min

Japanese Pasta & Noodles

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Vegetable onigiriRice balls with vegetables

Onigiri (おにぎり) are Japan's everyday lunchbox and picnic food, sold in every convenience store from Tokyo to Kyushu. Warm rice is pressed around a salty or savoury filling and wrapped in a strip of crisp nori. This recipe gives three vegetarian fillings: sour umeboshi (pickled plum), sweet-salty simmered kombu, and a soy-glazed mushroom and carrot mix. Children love helping to shape them, and they keep well for a packed lunch. Chef's tip: use freshly cooked, still-warm rice and salt your hands, not the rice. The grains stick together only while warm, and the salt on the outside seasons every bite the way a Japanese mother would.

30 min

Japanese Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 0 views

TteokbokkiRice cakes in spicy sauce

Tteokbokki (떡볶이) is Korea's best-loved street snack: chewy cylinders of rice cake simmered in a thick, glossy, sweet and spicy red sauce. It became a classic in Seoul, where it is sold from street stalls and snack bars in every neighbourhood. Street versions use anchovy stock and fish cakes; this vegan version uses a quick kelp and shiitake stock with cabbage and spring onions, and has all the same punch. Eat it hot, while the rice cakes are soft and stretchy. Chef's tip: keep stirring and scrape the bottom; the rice cakes release starch that thickens the sauce but also catches. The sauce is right when it clings to the spoon in a glossy coat.

25 min

Korean Snacks & Starters

by KrazyBadal 1 views

Goya champuruBitter melon stir-fry

Goya champuru (ゴーヤーチャンプルー) is the best-known dish of Okinawa, Japan's southern islands, where bitter melon (goya) grows on vines in summer. Champuru means 'mixed up' in the Okinawan language: slices of goya are stir-fried with firm tofu and egg, and the bitterness is balanced by soy and the richness of the egg. Pork or Spam is usual; this vegetarian version relies on well-browned tofu. Serve with rice. Chef's tip: scrape out every bit of the white pith from inside the goya. That's where most of the harsh bitterness lives, so a clean scrape gives you the pleasant, refreshing bitterness Okinawans love.

20 min

Japanese Vegetarian

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Tofu bulgogiTofu in bulgogi marinade

Tofu bulgogi (두부불고기) takes the famous sweet and savoury bulgogi marinade, usually made for thin slices of beef, and uses it on golden pan-fried tofu instead. It is a popular meat-free dish in homes and temple-style restaurants across Korea. Grated pear sweetens the soy and garlic sauce and makes it glossy, and the tofu is fried first so it holds its shape and soaks up the glaze. Serve with rice, lettuce leaves for wrapping and kimchi. Chef's tip: dry the tofu well and leave it alone in the pan until it releases by itself. A good golden crust is what lets it soak up the glaze without falling apart.

30 min

Korean Vegetarian

by KrazyBadal 0 views

Showing 27 of 10,569 recipes

Show more recipes

Page 1,106 of 1,175