What to eat today?

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Iscas com elasFried marinated liver with potatoes

In the old tascas of Lisbon's Baixa and Alfama, iscas com elas was cheap, filling food for workers: thin slivers of liver marinated overnight in white wine, vinegar, garlic and bay, flash-fried and served 'with them', the boiled potatoes that soak up the sauce. This contains pork (pig's liver); calf's liver works too. The marinade uses white wine, which contains alcohol; stock with an extra spoon of vinegar is a good alcohol-free option. A common mistake is slicing the liver thick: it must be thin so it cooks through fast without turning hard. Chef's tip: dry the slices well before frying so they sear instead of boiling.

50 min

Portuguese Meat

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Islak burgerSteamed garlic tomato burger

In the windows of the snack bars on Taksim Square, little burgers sit in a steaming glass box, their buns soaked in a garlic and tomato sauce: the ıslak, or 'wet', burger, eaten by the half-dozen at 3 a.m. after a night out on İstiklal. The beef patty is thin and spiced, the bun turns soft and juicy, and the whole thing is gone in four bites. At home a covered pan does the job of the steam box. Chef's tip: use a soft, slightly sweet bun; crusty rolls stay hard and just get soggy at the edges.

45 min

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İzmir köfteMeatballs baked with potatoes and peppers

Ask anyone from İzmir what their mother cooked on weeknights and İzmir köfte comes up: fingers of cumin-scented köfte, wedges of potato and long green peppers, lined up in a tray and baked in a thin tomato sauce until everything is soft and the edges catch. It is a one-tray family supper served with rice pilaf, a bowl of cacık and plenty of bread for the sauce. Chef's tip: fry the köfte and potatoes briefly before baking; that quick browning gives depth the oven alone can't.

75 min

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Jalea mixtaMixed fried seafood with cassava

Ordered to share at a Lima cevichería on a Sunday, jalea mixta arrives as a tall golden pile: chunks of white fish, squid rings and prawns, all in a light, crackly coat, on top of fried cassava and buried under a fresh tangle of salsa criolla. The contrast is the point, hot and crunchy underneath, cold, sour and sharp on top, with tartar sauce or ají on the side and cold drinks all round. A frequent mistake is crowding the oil, which drops its temperature and gives you a soggy, greasy coat; fry in small batches and let the oil come back up between them. Chef's tip: boil the cassava first and let it steam dry before frying; it turns fluffy inside and shatteringly crisp outside.

45 min

Peruvian Fish

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Judiones de La GranjaButter beans with chorizo and pork

In La Granja de San Ildefonso, the royal summer palace in the hills above Segovia, local farmers grow judiones, enormous flat white beans with skin so thin they melt on the tongue. Restaurants in the town and in Segovia stew them with chorizo, morcilla and pork for cold-weather lunches, followed by a roast. This contains pork (chorizo, morcilla and pork rib or ear). Large butter beans or Greek gigantes work well elsewhere. Chef's tip: never stir the beans; shake the pot instead, so they stay whole.

170 min

Spanish Meat

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JegarLamb liver skewers in bread

On winter evenings in Tehran, the smell of jegaraki stalls, small grill shops selling skewers of lamb liver, heart and kidney, drifts across the streets, and people queue for a few skewers wrapped in warm lavash with raw onion and basil. This home version uses lamb liver cut into cubes and grilled fast over very hot coals so it stays soft and juicy, then seasoned only with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon at the end. A common mistake is salting the liver before grilling; it draws out moisture and makes it tough, so salt it as it comes off the heat. Chef's tip: ask the butcher for very fresh liver and peel off the thin outer membrane before cutting; it makes the cubes tender.

25 min

Persian Meat

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Jugo de borojóBorojó fruit milk shake

Borojó is the pride of the Chocó: a heavy brown fruit with a dense, sticky pulp and a sour, almost tamarind-like flavour. In Quibdó it is sold as pulp at the market and blended into thick shakes at juice stalls, and it carries a folk reputation as a restorative, sometimes jokingly called juice of love. Blended with cold milk and sugar it becomes creamy, tangy and filling, more a small meal than a drink. Outside Colombia, look for frozen borojó pulp in Latin American shops; there is no real substitute, though a mix of tamarind paste and banana gives a rough idea. Using too much pulp is easy to do, and the shake turns into a paste that will not go through a straw, so start with the amount below and thicken to taste. Chef's tip: blend the pulp with a little milk first to loosen it, then add the rest; borojó is so dense it can stall a blender.

10 min

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Jugo de corozoCorozo palm fruit juice

Corozo is a tiny, glossy red-black palm fruit that grows wild across Colombia's Caribbean lowlands, and in Sincelejo, Montería and Cartagena it is boiled into a deep wine-red juice that is tart, slightly bitter and very refreshing. It is sold in bags from street coolers and served with lunch at home, especially in the dry season when the fruit is plentiful. The fruit is mostly stone and skin, so it is boiled to release the colour and flavour, then mashed and strained. Blending the whole fruit is the trap here: the hard stones can break a blender and add bitterness, so only mash them. Frozen corozo pulp is sold in some Latin shops; there is no true substitute, but tart cherry juice with a squeeze of lime gives a similar colour and sourness. Chef's tip: dissolve the sugar while the juice is still warm, then chill well; it tastes sharper and brighter cold.

35 min

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Jugo de maracuyáPassion fruit juice

Passion fruit grows easily in the warm valleys of Colombia, and maracuyá juice is the default glass at many lunch tables, from Huila to the coast. It is intensely aromatic and sharp, so it needs plenty of water and sugar, and it is served over ice; a milk version is made too, but the water one is the more refreshing. Street juice stands blend it fresh all day, and it pairs especially well with fried fish, rice and patacones, or any spicy dish. People tend to over-blend it, crushing the black seeds into gritty, bitter bits; just pulse until the pulp lets go of the seeds, then strain. Frozen passion fruit pulp from Latin shops is a good, cheaper option and needs no straining. Chef's tip: scoop the pulp from wrinkled, heavy fruit; the more wrinkled the skin, the sweeter and more fragrant the fruit inside.

10 min

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Jugo de moraBlackberry milk juice

Order a juice anywhere in Colombia and the waiter will ask: en agua o en leche? With mora, the tart Andean blackberry, the milk version is the treat: a thick, dusky-purple shake with a sour-sweet berry flavour, served with lunch at corrientazo restaurants and in tall glasses at bakeries. Mora de Castilla is longer and sharper than European blackberries and is sold frozen in Latin shops; ordinary blackberries with a squeeze of lime make a good stand-in. Straining is what makes it smooth, since the seeds are gritty. The mistake many people make is blending the berries with the milk and leaving it to stand: the fruit acid slowly curdles the milk, so blend the fruit with water first, strain, then add cold milk and serve straight away. Chef's tip: very cold milk and a few ice cubes keep the drink thick and frothy.

10 min

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Jugo de tomate de árbolTamarillo juice

Tomate de árbol, the tree tomato or tamarillo, is everywhere in Andean Colombia: in market piles, in ají and above all in juice. Blended with water and sugar, it makes a tangy, deep orange drink with a flavour between passion fruit, tomato and apricot, and it turns up at lunch counters and family tables with almost every meal. Many people blend it with milk instead of water for a creamier glass; this version keeps it vegan. Blending the fruit with its skin is the most common misstep, as the peel is bitter and astringent; a quick blanch makes it slip off easily. Look for tamarillos in good greengrocers, or frozen pulp in Latin shops. Chef's tip: blend only briefly so you do not crush the small seeds, then strain; it stays bright and clean-tasting.

15 min

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Ka'ak bi ajwaDate-filled cookie rings

In the last nights of Ramadan, Jordanian kitchens turn into small bakeries, and trays of ka'ak bi ajwa go into neighbourhood ovens ready for Eid morning. A crumbly semolina pastry scented with anise and mahlab is wrapped round a rope of date paste, closed into rings and baked pale gold, then offered to every visitor with bitter Arabic coffee. Children usually do the rolling. The common mistake is overworking the dough after the butter goes in, which makes the cookies hard rather than sandy. Chef's tip: rest the semolina and butter mixture overnight before adding the liquid; the grains drink the fat and the ka'ak melt in the mouth.

80 min

Jordanian Baking

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Ka'ak bi haleebSoft milk cookies

Lebanese families bake ka'ak bi haleeb by the tray before Eid and Easter alike, stamping each round with a carved wooden mould so it comes out patterned like a little rosette. They are soft rather than crisp, gently sweet, perfumed with mahlab (ground cherry kernels), anise and orange blossom water, and dusted with sesame or left plain. Children dunk them in milk, grown-ups in tea. The common mistake is adding too much flour to make the dough easier to handle, which gives dry, bready cookies. Chef's tip: let the shaped cookies rise for 30 minutes before baking; the yeast makes them pillowy and keeps the stamped pattern sharp.

45 min

Lebanese Baking

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Kaymaklı ekmek kadayıfıBread pudding with clotted cream

Ekmek kadayıfı is a big disc of dried, airy bread that pudding shops in Istanbul and Afyon soak in syrup until it turns dark, sticky and soft, then top with a thick slab of buffalo-milk kaymak. The contrast is the point: cold, rich cream against the warm, almost caramel-flavoured, juicy bread. At home you can use slices of stale brioche-style bread if you can't buy the ready-made disc. Chef's tip: pour hot syrup over completely dry bread, a little at a time, and wait between pours so every crumb drinks it up evenly.

45 min

Turkish Snacks & Starters

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Kabab bargSaffron lamb fillet kebabs

Kabab barg is the prized kebab of Tehran's old chelow-kababi restaurants, ordered for celebrations and served on a mound of buttery-looking saffron rice with grilled tomatoes and a raw egg yolk for those who like it. The name means 'leaf kebab': lamb loin or beef fillet is pounded into thin sheets, marinated overnight in onion juice and saffron, then threaded flat on wide sword skewers and grilled fast over hot charcoal. It is tender enough to cut with the edge of a spoon. A common mistake is leaving onion pieces in the marinade; they burn on the grill, so use only the juice. Chef's tip: score the meat lightly in a criss-cross with the back of a knife; it stops the strips curling and lets the marinade in.

40 min

Persian Meat

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Kabab torshSour beef kebabs with walnut

Kabab torsh, the 'sour kebab', comes from the green, rainy province of Gilan on the Caspian, where roadside grills around Rasht and Fuman sell it with smoky kateh rice and fresh herbs. Cubes of beef are rubbed with a thick paste of ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, garlic and crushed dried mint or wild herbs, left overnight, then grilled until the paste turns into a dark, sticky crust. It is tangy, nutty and quite unlike the saffron kebabs of Tehran. A common mistake is grilling over fierce flames; the walnut paste scorches before the meat is done, so use steady medium coals. Chef's tip: keep back a few spoons of the paste and brush it on in the last minute for a fresh, glossy finish.

40 min

Persian Meat

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Kabak çiçeği dolmasıStuffed courgette flowers

In the Aegean villages around Ödemiş and Bodrum, women gather courgette flowers at dawn while they are still open, and by lunchtime they have been stuffed with a fragrant rice of tomato, mint, dill and pine nuts and gently simmered in olive oil. Served at room temperature as part of a summer meze spread, they are delicate and almost sweet. Pick (or buy) the male flowers on long stems, and use them the same day. Chef's tip: twist the petal tips closed rather than folding them; a gentle twist holds the filling better in the pot.

70 min

Turkish Vegetarian

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Kabak mücverCourgette and feta fritters

Mücver are the courgette fritters fried in every Aegean summer kitchen, from Foça to Datça, when courgettes pile up faster than anyone can eat them. Grated courgette is squeezed dry and bound with egg, a little flour, crumbled white cheese and a fistful of dill, mint and spring onion, then fried until lacy and golden. Serve them hot or warm with garlic yoghurt as a meze or a light supper. Beyaz peynir and feta are often made with animal rennet, so look for a vegetarian one if needed. Chef's tip: salt the courgette and squeeze it hard in a cloth; wet courgette makes heavy fritters that never crisp.

45 min

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Kabak tatlısıCandied pumpkin with tahini and walnuts

When the big winter squashes come in from the fields around Konya and Ankara, home cooks cut them into thick wedges, bury them in sugar overnight and let the pumpkin cook slowly in the syrup it releases. The pieces turn glossy, deep orange and tender while holding their shape, and they're served cold with a drizzle of tahini and crushed walnuts. It's one of the few Turkish sweets made without any water at all. Common mistake: stirring the pot, which breaks the wedges; shake the pan gently instead. Chef's tip: cook it lid on for the first half and lid off for the second, so the syrup reduces to a thick glaze.

70 min

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Kabees lifitPickled pink turnips

No falafel or shawarma wrap in Beirut is complete without a few batons of kabees lifit, the crunchy, vinegary pickled turnips that glow pink from a slice of raw beetroot in the jar. Lebanese families put them up in autumn when turnips are young and sweet, and a bowl sits on the mezze table next to olives and green chillies. They are sharp, salty and crisp, and cut through grilled meats, fried kibbeh and hummus. Common mistake: using iodised table salt, which clouds the brine; use pure fine salt or sea salt. Chef's tip: choose small, firm turnips with smooth skins — big woody ones stay bitter however long they pickle.

25 min

Lebanese Basics

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Kadayıf dolmasıWalnut pancakes in syrup

In Erzurum, kadayıf means not shredded pastry but small, spongy pancakes cooked on one side only. For kadayıf dolması they're filled with walnuts, folded into half-moons, fried golden and plunged into syrup, and they are the city's pride on festival days and at weddings. The outside is crisp and syrupy, the inside soft and nutty. Common mistake: cooking the pancakes on both sides; the uncooked, bubbly top is what sticks the edges together. Chef's tip: the syrup must be cold and the dolma hot straight from the oil, so they absorb syrup without going soggy.

80 min

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Kadınbudu köfteFried rice and mince patties

The name means 'lady's thigh', a playful Ottoman-era compliment to their plump, tender shape, and these köfte still appear in Istanbul home kitchens and old lokantas for Friday lunch. Half the meat is cooked with onion first, then mixed with raw mince, rice and herbs, so the köfte are unusually soft and moist. They are dipped in egg and fried golden, and served with a simple tomato salad and pilaf or mashed potato. Chef's tip: the rice must be fully cooked and cooled before mixing, or the köfte crack and fall apart in the pan.

65 min

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Kärntner KasnudelnCurd cheese filled pasta half-moons

Kasnudeln are the pride of Carinthia in Austria's south, where every village claims the best filling and where they are eaten on Fridays and at church fairs. Big half-moons of thin noodle dough are stuffed with crumbly curd cheese, floury potato, onion and fresh mint, then sealed with a braided edge called 'krendeln' that keeps the filling in as they simmer. They are served with a generous pour of brown butter and chives, often with a green salad. A common mistake is rolling the dough too thick: it should be thin enough to see your hand through, or the folded edges turn stodgy. Carinthian Topfen is usually made without animal rennet, but check the label and pick a vegetarian quark. Chef's tip: if crimping feels tricky, press the edges with a fork first, then practise the braid on the last few.

90 min

Austrian Pasta & Noodles

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Kağıt kebabıLamb and vegetables baked in parchment

Malatya cooks wrap cubes of lamb with tomatoes, peppers, shallots and garlic in greaseproof paper and bake them slowly, so the meat steams in its own juices and the parcel puffs up like a pillow. At the table each person tears open their own package to a cloud of fragrant steam. It's a festive dish for guests, served with bulgur pilaf and a yoghurt salad. Common mistake: wrapping loosely so the juices leak and the meat dries; fold and crimp the edges tightly. Chef's tip: brown the lamb quickly before wrapping; it gives a deeper flavour than raw meat steamed alone.

120 min

Persian Snacks & Starters

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Kahu sekanjabinLettuce with mint vinegar syrup

On Sizdah Bedar, the thirteenth day of the new year, Iranian families leave the city for parks and riverbanks around Tehran and Isfahan, and the picnic cloth almost always holds a jar of sekanjabin and a head of crisp romaine. The syrup is an ancient one: sugar and vinegar simmered together and steeped with fresh mint, sweet-sour and cooling. You tear off a lettuce leaf, dip it and crunch. The usual mistake is boiling the syrup too long, which turns it into hard toffee once cold. Chef's tip: keep the lettuce in iced water until the moment you serve; the colder and crisper the leaf, the better the contrast with the syrup.

40 min

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KakaviaMixed fish and potato soup

Kakavia takes its name from the three-legged pot fishermen in the Cyclades set on the beach, filling it with the small, bony fish they couldn't sell, seawater, onions, potatoes and a generous pour of olive oil. Today island tavernas and families make it with a mix of firm white fish, and serve the broth first with lemon, then the fish and potatoes on a platter. It is clean, golden and comforting, best with crusty bread. Common mistake: stirring once the fish goes in, which breaks it into shreds; shake the pot instead. Chef's tip: simmer the heads and bones first for the broth, then poach the fillets in it briefly so they stay in whole pieces.

80 min

Greek Soups

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Kal kababSmoky aubergine with walnuts and pomegranate

Kal kabab comes from the rice-growing plains around Rasht, where late-summer aubergines are charred straight on the embers and mashed with a green, sour mixture of herbs, walnuts, garlic and sour pomegranate paste. Unlike Tehran's creamy kashk-e bademjan it has no dairy and is eaten cool, as a starter or side with kateh and grilled food, scooped up with bread. Golpar, ground Persian hogweed seed, adds a resinous edge. A common mistake is pulling the aubergines off the flame too early: they must collapse completely and the skin must blacken all over, or the flesh is bitter and the dish lacks smoke. Chef's tip: pound the walnuts, garlic and herbs to a paste before adding the aubergine, so the sour green flavour runs through every bite.

45 min

Persian Chutneys & Dips

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Kalam polo ShiraziCabbage and herb rice with meatballs

Kalam polo is the rice that Shirazi families cook from late autumn into spring, when white cabbage is sweet and the herb sellers of the Vakil Bazaar pile up basil, tarragon and dill. Shredded cabbage is fried until caramel-brown, mixed with a big handful of herbs and a touch of cumin, then layered through basmati with tiny meatballs no bigger than a chickpea and steamed into a fragrant, green-flecked pilaf. For a vegetarian pot, leave the meatballs out and add a handful of cooked chickpeas. Serve with Shirazi salad and yogurt. A common mistake is frying the cabbage too briefly; it must turn golden and sweet, or it gives the rice a sulphurous taste. Chef's tip: dry the chopped herbs on a tea towel before frying so they crisp instead of stew.

100 min

Persian Rice & Grains

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Kalamar tavaFried squid with walnut sauce

On the waterfront in Bodrum and in every Aegean fish meyhane, a plate of kalamar tava arrives hot among the cold meze: tender rings of squid in a light, crisp coat, with a bowl of tarator, a thick sauce of walnuts, bread, garlic and lemon, for dipping. The trick is speed; squid is tender after a minute or two in the oil and rubbery after five. Chef's tip: soak the rings in milk or fizzy mineral water for half an hour in the fridge; it tenderises them and helps the coating cling.

50 min

Turkish Fish

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Kalamarakia gemistaRice-stuffed squid in tomato

Stuffed squid is Lenten and summer food all over the Cyclades: the bodies are filled with rice, onion, the chopped tentacles, dill, mint and pine nuts, then baked in a light tomato sauce until the squid is tender and the rice has drunk up the juices. Families on Paros and Naxos make a tray for a Friday or a feast day of the Virgin in August, and serve it warm with bread and a salad. Common mistake: packing the squid full; the rice swells and splits them, so fill only two-thirds. Chef's tip: close each squid with a toothpick through the opening, threaded like a stitch.

100 min

Greek Fish

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Kaleh jooshKashk, walnut and mint soup

Kaleh joosh is the fast, frugal soup of the Azerbaijani villages around Tabriz and of central Iran, cooked when the cupboard holds kashk, walnuts and onions. Kashk, the tangy fermented whey that gives so many Persian dishes their savoury depth, is simmered with deeply fried onions and ground walnuts, then crowned with sizzling dried mint and turmeric oil. It is eaten from a shared bowl, scooped up with torn bread rather than spoons, often on cold evenings. A common mistake is boiling the kashk hard, which can make it split and grainy; keep it at a gentle bubble. Chef's tip: taste your kashk before salting, as brands vary wildly in saltiness.

30 min

Persian Soups

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KalimotxoRed wine and cola

Kalimotxo contains alcohol (red wine), so the classic version is for adults only; an alcohol-free version is given below. The story goes that it was mixed in 1972 at a fiesta in Algorta, near Bilbao, when the wine bought for the stall turned out to be poor and cola was added to save it. Today it is the drink of every Basque summer fiesta, from Bilbao's Aste Nagusia to village squares, poured into big plastic cups. A common mistake is mixing warm wine and flat cola, which tastes heavy and sweet: both should be fridge-cold and the cola freshly opened. Chef's tip: pour the cola slowly down the side of the glass so it keeps its fizz.

5 min

Spanish Drinks

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KalitsouniaSweet cheese pastries

Come Holy Week, Cretan kitchens from Chania to Sitia fill trays with kalitsounia, little open pastries whose edges are pinched into stars around a mound of fresh whey cheese. They come out with crisp, slightly sandy pastry and a soft, barely sweet filling that tastes of milk, cinnamon and orange zest, and they are eaten at Easter breakfast, offered to visitors with coffee and packed for the drive back to the village. On the island the filling is fresh mizithra or anthotyro; drained ricotta is the easiest stand-in and is usually made without animal rennet. Common mistake: using wet cheese straight from the tub, which floods the pastry and leaves the bases soggy. Chef's tip: drain the cheese overnight in a sieve lined with kitchen paper so the filling bakes up light and holds its dome.

75 min

Greek Baking

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KallajCream-filled pastry parcels in syrup

Kallaj appears in the sweet shops of Beirut and Tripoli only during Ramadan, when bakers sell paper-thin starch sheets to wrap around cream or cheese and fry for after iftar. Home cooks recreate it with filo: square parcels of thick milk cream, baked until they crackle, then soaked briefly in rose and orange-blossom syrup and finished with pistachios. Serve them warm, a few minutes after the syrup goes on, while the outside is still crisp. Common mistake: drowning them in syrup and leaving them to sit; spoon it over just before serving. Chef's tip: a cheese version — fill with half mozzarella, half unsalted ricotta — is just as traditional; choose a vegetarian-rennet mozzarella if you need it.

60 min

Lebanese Desserts

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Kalter HundNo-bake chocolate biscuit loaf

Kalter Hund, the 'cold dog', is the no-bake party cake of West German childhoods, set in a loaf tin in the fridge and sliced into stripes of crisp biscuit and dark chocolate at every 1970s birthday. Recipes from Hamburg to Bavaria differ only in the details; old ones used coconut fat and raw egg, while this version uses dark chocolate, cream and a little coconut oil, so there is nothing raw in it. A common mistake is pouring the chocolate too hot, which softens the biscuits into mush; it should be just warm. Chef's tip: line the tin with cling film overhanging the sides, then you can lift the whole loaf out and slice it with a hot knife.

35 min

German Desserts

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Kam lu wantánFried wontons in sweet-sour sauce

Brought to the table as a sharing platter at big chifa lunches in Lima, kam lu wantán is a gleeful mix of textures: golden fried wontons filled with ginger-spiked pork, smothered in a bright, sweet-and-sour sauce full of sliced chicken, pork, pineapple, peppers, carrot, snow peas and bok choy. The wontons shatter at the edges and soften where the sauce soaks in, so eat it fast. It works as a starter for a crowd or a main with rice. The mistake to avoid is making the sauce too thick and gloopy; it should flow over the wontons, not sit on them like jam. Chef's tip: fry the wontons at the last minute and pour the sauce over at the table so the crunch survives.

55 min

Peruvian Snacks & Starters

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Kerry Dingle piesSmall mutton pies

Dingle pies are small, round mutton pies made in west Kerry for the Puck Fair in Killorglin, for fishermen going to sea, and for farmers at the mart, often reheated in a bowl of the mutton broth. A firm hot-water-crust pastry holds a peppery filling of lamb or mutton, onion and carrot, so they travel well and are eaten by hand or with gravy. Chef's tip: shape the pastry while it is still warm; hot-water crust cracks and won't mould once it cools.

120 min

Irish Meat

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KapchiBroad beans in cheese sauce

Kapchi (sometimes spelled capchi) comes from the Quechua for something like 'dressed' or 'creamed', and around Cusco it turns up when the fresh broad beans are in season: green habas, potatoes and soft fresh cheese simmered with milk until the sauce turns thick and pale, with ají and a handful of huacatay. Market stalls in San Pedro sell it with rice, and families make it at Easter as a meatless dish. It is gentle and creamy with a herby, slightly minty finish, and the beans stay sweet and tender. The trap is boiling the sauce once the cheese is in; it splits into curds and goes watery, so keep it at a bare simmer. Serve with white rice or boiled potatoes and a spoon of uchucuta. The same recipe works with sliced mushrooms instead of beans, which Cusco cooks also do. Queso fresco is usually set with animal rennet, so pick a vegetarian fresh cheese if you need to. Chef's tip: peel the beans of their pale inner skins after blanching; it takes ten minutes and makes the dish far silkier.

35 min

Peruvian Vegetarian

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Karadeniz kıymalı pideBeef-filled flatbread boat

Pide salons in Samsun, Trabzon and Rize stretch their dough into long boats, pinch the ends into points and fill them with minced beef, onion, tomato and peppers, then slide them into a wood oven for a few minutes. At home a very hot oven and a heavy tray get you close: a crisp, chewy rim, a juicy filling and a brush of butter as it comes out. Slice across into strips and eat with ayran and a sharp shepherd's salad. Common mistake: a wet filling, which soaks the base; squeeze the chopped tomato and let the mince sit on the dough raw so its juices cook into the bread. The mince must reach 71 °C. Chef's tip: crack an egg into the middle for the last 3 minutes if you like it the Samsun way.

45 min

Turkish Breads & Parathas

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Karadeniz mısır ekmeğiGolden cornbread

Along the Black Sea coast from Samsun to Artvin, cornbread was the everyday loaf long before wheat bread was common, and it still sits beside bowls of collard soup and plates of fried anchovies. This version is the simple household one: fine cornmeal scalded with hot water and milk, a little wheat flour and egg for lift, baked in a well-oiled pan until the crust cracks and the inside stays moist and slightly sweet. Cut it into wedges and eat it warm with butter, cheese or crumbled into soup. Common mistake: using cold water, which leaves the cornmeal gritty; scalding it first softens the grains. Chef's tip: heat the oiled pan in the oven before the batter goes in, so the base sizzles and forms a crisp, shiny crust.

50 min

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Karalahana çorbasıCollard greens and bean soup

Dark, ribbed karalahana is the cabbage of the eastern Black Sea, and in Trabzon and Rize winter kitchens it goes into a thick soup that is somewhere between a broth and a stew. Shredded leaves simmer with borlotti beans, onion and a spoon of pepper paste, then a handful of cornmeal is whisked in at the end to give the soup body and a gentle sweetness. It is served with cornbread, a wedge of onion and a few chilli pickles. Common mistake: leaving the tough central ribs in; they never soften and make the soup stringy. Chef's tip: the soup is noticeably better the next day, so make it ahead and loosen it with a little hot water when you reheat.

65 min

Turkish Soups

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Karalahana sarmasıStuffed collard leaf rolls

In Trabzon and Artvin kitchens the big dark leaves of karalahana are blanched and wrapped around a filling of minced beef, rice, onion and plenty of mint and dill, then packed into a pot and simmered with a little tomato and butter. The rolls are thicker and chewier than vine-leaf sarma, with an earthy taste that suits cold weather, and they're served with a bowl of garlicky yoghurt. Common mistake: leaving the thick central vein on the leaf; shave it flat with a knife or the rolls split. Simmer until the filling is cooked through to 71 °C and the rice is soft. Chef's tip: lay any torn leaves in the base of the pot so the rolls never touch the bottom and scorch.

100 min

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KardinalschnittenMeringue and sponge coffee slices

Kardinalschnitten, 'cardinal slices', were created in Vienna with the colours of the Church in mind: white meringue and yellow sponge baked side by side in stripes. In Viennese cafés they are a light, summery choice with an afternoon coffee. Two baked sheets of alternating stripes sandwich a soft coffee cream, and the result is crisp, airy and cool at the same time. A common mistake is overfilling with cream that has not been stabilised; it squeezes out when you cut. Here a little mascarpone keeps the cream firm without gelatine. Chef's tip: pipe the meringue stripes first and the sponge in the gaps after, so the sponge does not spread flat.

75 min

Austrian Baking

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Karışık turşuMixed vegetable pickle

Every autumn Turkish kitchens line up jars of karışık turşu, and in Istanbul pickle shops (turşucu) sell it by the glass with its sour juice to drink. Crunchy cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, green peppers and cauliflower are packed with garlic and chickpeas in a salted, vinegar-spiked brine and left to sour for a couple of weeks. It sits beside bean stews, pilaf and kebab at almost every home meal. Common mistake: iodised table salt, which clouds the brine and softens the vegetables; use rock or pickling salt. Chef's tip: a few dried chickpeas in the jar help the fermentation get going, as Turkish grandmothers swear.

35 min

Turkish Basics

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Kars kazıRoast goose with bulgur pilaf

In Kars, geese are raised all summer, slaughtered in the first frosts, salted and hung in the cold air, then roasted through the winter for weddings and long family dinners. The crisp-skinned meat is served on a bed of bulgur pilaf cooked in the goose's rich fat and broth, and nothing else is needed but pickles and ayran. This home version uses a fresh goose, salted for a day in the fridge. Common mistake: not pricking the skin, which traps the fat and leaves the skin flabby. Roast until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 74 °C and the juices run clear. Chef's tip: pour off the fat during roasting and keep it; a spoonful in the pilaf and the rest for roast potatoes.

240 min

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KartoffelbrotPotato bread

Kartoffelbrot was born of thrift in the potato regions of the Palatinate, Thuringia and Brandenburg, when bakers stretched scarce flour with boiled potatoes. The happy result is a loaf with a thin, crackly crust and a soft, moist, slightly sweet crumb that stays fresh for four or five days. It is a favourite for Sunday breakfast, for toast, and for sandwiches with butter and chives. A common mistake is using warm, wet mash, which makes the dough sloppy; the potatoes should be floury, mashed dry and completely cool. Chef's tip: save 100 ml of the potato cooking water and use it in the dough instead of plain water, for an even softer crumb.

185 min

German Breads & Parathas

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KarydopitaSpiced walnut syrup cake

Karydopita is the cake Greek households bake for name days and Sunday visitors, cut into diamonds and set out with coffee or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Ground walnuts and dried breadcrumbs replace much of the flour, giving a moist, dense crumb fragrant with cinnamon and clove, then the hot cake drinks up a cool syrup. Common mistake: pouring hot syrup over a hot cake, which leaves it soggy at the bottom and dry on top. Chef's tip: let it sit for at least 3 hours after syruping; it slices more cleanly and tastes even better the next day.

65 min

Greek Baking

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KataifiShredded pastry rolls with walnuts

Ioannina's old pastry shops, by the lake and under the castle walls, are known for their syrup sweets, and kataifi rolls are the ones locals buy for Christmas and Easter visits. Fine threads of kataifi pastry are wrapped around a cinnamon-walnut filling, drenched in butter and baked crisp, then soaked in cool syrup so they stay crunchy on top and sticky beneath. Serve at room temperature with Greek coffee. Common mistake: pouring hot syrup on hot pastry, which turns it soggy — one of the two must be cool. Chef's tip: tease the pastry threads apart with your fingers before rolling; matted clumps bake hard.

90 min

Greek Desserts

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KatehSoft buttery rice

Along the Caspian coast in Gilan and Mazandaran, kateh is the daily rice: no par-boiling and draining as in Tehran's chelow, just rice, water, salt and butter cooked together until the water vanishes and the grains settle into a soft, slightly sticky cake with a golden crust underneath. Northern families eat it at almost every meal with fish, mirza ghasemi or baghala ghatogh, and children love the buttery bottom. The common mistake is lifting the lid and stirring once the water has been absorbed, which breaks the grains and stops the crust forming. Chef's tip: use a heavy non-stick pot and add the butter only after the water has boiled down; it seeps through and fries the base.

45 min

Persian Rice & Grains

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KatmerClotted cream and pistachio pastry

In Gaziantep the morning starts at a katmer counter: a baker slaps a ball of dough into a sheet so thin you can read through it, scatters it with pistachios, sugar and kaymak, folds it into a parcel and bakes it on a hot iron plate. Eaten straight away, it shatters at the edges and stays creamy in the middle, and locals drink strong tea with it. At home a heavy frying pan stands in for the iron plate. The usual mistake is stretching the dough before it has rested; it tears instead of going translucent, so give it the full hour under oiled cling film. Chef's tip: grind the pistachios only to coarse sand, not powder, so they stay bright green and give each bite some crunch.

45 min

Turkish Breakfast & Brunch

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KayganaHerb egg pancake

In Trabzon and Rize homes, kaygana is what appears when breakfast needs stretching: eggs beaten with a little flour and milk and a big handful of spring onion, dill and parsley, then poured thin into a buttered pan. It sits halfway between an omelette and a crêpe, soft in the middle with lacy, browned edges. Fold it onto a plate with cheese, olives, tomatoes and tea, or roll it up for a packed lunch. Common mistake: a pan that isn't hot enough, so the batter soaks up butter and turns leathery instead of puffing. Chef's tip: let the batter rest for 10 minutes; the flour hydrates and the kaygana flips without tearing.

27 min

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Kayısı tatlısıCream-filled poached apricots

Malatya grows more apricots than anywhere else on earth, and its sweet shops make the most of the sun-dried fruit with kayısı tatlısı: plump dried apricots soaked, poached in a light syrup until glossy, then split and filled with thick kaymak and topped with bright green pistachio. They're served chilled in small dishes at the end of a meal or with coffee. Common mistake: boiling them hard, which bursts the skins; they need only a gentle simmer. Chef's tip: choose the soft, pale, whole dried apricots rather than the sulphured orange halves; they fill neatly and taste of honey.

40 min

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Kayseri yağlamasıLayered flatbread with mince

Kayseri families make yağlama for big gatherings and festival days: a tower of soft, thin flatbreads cooked on a griddle, each layer spread with a tomatoey beef mince sauce and garlic yoghurt, then cut into wedges like a cake. It sits somewhere between a lasagne and a stack of pancakes, and everyone eats it warm with ayran and pickles. Common mistake: letting the breads dry out while you cook the rest; keep them under a damp cloth so they stay pliable. The mince should be simmered until cooked through to 71 °C. Chef's tip: build the stack quickly while everything is hot, then rest it five minutes so the layers settle and cut cleanly.

80 min

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KazandibiCaramelised milk pudding

Kazandibi means 'bottom of the cauldron', and in the old pudding shops of Istanbul's Beyoğlu and Fatih it is cut from a big tray whose base was caramelised on purpose over a flame. The square is rolled up so the burnished, faintly bitter top hides a soft, cool vanilla pudding inside. Serve it chilled with a dusting of cinnamon and a glass of tea. The traditional palace version had shredded chicken in it; this everyday version is purely milk, rice flour and sugar. Chef's tip: use a heavy-based, non-stick pan or tin and give the sugar a full deep amber before the pudding goes in, because pale caramel just tastes sweet rather than toasty.

45 min

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Kebab karazLamb meatballs in sour cherry sauce

Kebab karaz is Aleppo's most celebrated dish, cooked in early summer when the small, sour cherries (wild mahaleb cherries in the old days) come into season. Little grilled or fried lamb meatballs are simmered briefly in a deep red, sweet-sour cherry sauce, then served on pieces of flatbread that soak up the juices, scattered with parsley and pine nuts. It is rich, fruity and quite unlike anything else in the Levant. Common mistake: using sweet cherries alone — the sauce turns jammy; you need sour cherries, or sweet ones sharpened with lemon and pomegranate molasses. Chef's tip: frozen pitted sour cherries work perfectly all year round.

60 min

Syrian Meat

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Kebab khashkhashLamb kebabs with spicy tomato topping

In Aleppo's grill houses, kebab khashkhash comes to the table sizzling: long, juicy skewers of lamb mince with pepper paste and chilli, laid over flatbread and covered with a hot, chunky sauce of tomatoes, garlic, chilli and parsley that soaks into the bread. It is bold and fiery, eaten with grilled tomatoes and green chillies and a cold glass of ayran. Common mistake: using lean mince — kebabs need around 20% fat to stay juicy on the grill. Chef's tip: chill the shaped skewers for 30 minutes before grilling so the meat clings and doesn't slip off.

45 min

Syrian Meat

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Kefalonian kreatopitaLamb, rice and potato pie

On Kefalonia, kreatopita is baked for Carnival Sunday, just before Lent, and for big family days: a deep pie of lamb and pork pieces (not mince) mixed with rice, potatoes, tomato, garlic, mint and grated cheese, enclosed in a thick homemade-style crust or filo. It's hearty, fragrant and meant to feed a crowd, warm or at room temperature. This version uses lamb shoulder and pork shoulder. Many island cooks splash in wine; here the moisture comes from stock and tomato, so it's alcohol-free. Common mistake: dicing the meat too large, so it isn't tender when the pastry is done — keep it to 2 cm. Chef's tip: let the filling sit in the fridge overnight so the rice soaks up the juices and the flavours meld.

145 min

Greek Meat

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Kemalpaşa tatlısıCheese dumplings in syrup

Named after the town of Mustafakemalpaşa near Bursa, these small golden rounds are made from a soft unsalted cheese, semolina and flour, baked dry and then simmered in syrup until they swell and soak it up like sponges. In Bursa they are eaten after a plate of İskender, warm with a spoon of clotted cream or a scattering of pistachio. They are lighter than they look, with a faint cheesy tang under the sweetness. Chef's tip: let the syrup cool to lukewarm and the dumplings be at room temperature; if both are hot the dumplings collapse into mush.

70 min

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Kentish gypsy tartEvaporated milk and muscovado tart

Gypsy tart is the school-dinner pudding of Kent, remembered fondly by anyone who grew up in Margate, Maidstone or the Medway towns. Evaporated milk is whisked with dark muscovado sugar until it doubles into a toffee-coloured mousse, poured into a pastry case and baked just long enough to set into a fluffy, sticky, intensely sweet filling. Chef's tip: chill the evaporated milk overnight; cold milk whips up much more volume.

50 min

British Desserts

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Kentucky Benedictine spreadCucumber and cream cheese spread

Benedictine was created by Louisville caterer Jennie Benedict around 1900 and is still spread on crustless tea sandwiches at Kentucky Derby parties and church luncheons all over the state. Grated cucumber and onion are squeezed dry and beaten into cream cheese, so the spread is cool, fresh and mildly oniony, traditionally tinted the palest green. Serve on white bread or as a dip with crackers and celery. Chef's tip: squeeze the cucumber in a clean tea towel until no more drips come out; wet cucumber makes it runny.

15 min

American Chutneys & Dips

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KeşkekWheat and lamb porridge

Keşkek is cooked in huge cauldrons for weddings, circumcision feasts and religious holidays across Central Anatolia, from Çorum to Sivas, while villagers take turns beating it with long wooden paddles. Whole wheat and lamb on the bone simmer together for hours until the meat falls apart, then everything is beaten into a thick, stretchy porridge and topped with sizzling butter and chilli. Its tradition is listed by UNESCO as intangible heritage. Common mistake: skimping on the beating; vigorous mashing is what turns it from grainy stew into a smooth, elastic keşkek. Chef's tip: a potato masher followed by a wooden spoon does the job at home; beat in hot broth a ladle at a time if it gets stiff.

200 min

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KeşkülAlmond milk pudding

Keşkül takes its name from the bowl that wandering dervishes carried for alms, and it has been on Istanbul pudding-shop counters (muhallebici) since Ottoman times. Ground almonds simmered in milk give it a delicate nutty flavour and a faint grain, set with a little rice flour and cornflour into a soft, spoonable pudding. Turks eat it chilled as an afternoon treat or after a light supper, topped with pistachio and desiccated coconut. The usual mistake is stopping the whisking as it thickens; it catches on the base and tastes scorched. Chef's tip: steep the ground almonds in the warm milk for 15 minutes before you start cooking for a much deeper almond flavour.

35 min

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Kestane şekeriCandied chestnuts

Bursa sits beneath the chestnut forests of Uludağ, and every sweet shop in the old covered market sells kestane şekeri in neat gold boxes, especially as gifts in autumn and at the new year. Peeled chestnuts are poached and then candied over several days in a vanilla syrup until they turn dense, glossy and tender right through. It takes patience rather than skill. Chef's tip: wrap each chestnut in a square of muslin before poaching; it holds the fragile nuts together through the repeated syrup baths.

150 min