Benne is the West African word for sesame, brought to the Carolina Lowcountry by enslaved people, and these paper-thin, toasty wafers are the cookie Charleston is known for, sold in tins in the old city market. Toasted sesame seeds are folded into a buttery brown-sugar batter that spreads into lacy, crisp discs. Chef's tip: toast the seeds until they are honey-coloured; pale seeds taste of very little.
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A hot, chunky relish of blended red bullet chillies cooked with raw mango, green peppers, vinegar and tomato ketchup, after a tempering of sesame, cumin and split coriander seeds. It's sweet, sour and very spicy. Serve a little with farsan, thepla or sandwiches; it keeps for weeks in the fridge.
A fresh, coarse chutney of grated coconut, mint, green chillies and cumin, sharpened with lemon and a pinch of sugar. It's bright green, cooling and spicy, and goes with idli, dhosa, pakoras and sandwiches.
A cool, creamy chutney of finely grated fresh coconut mixed with yogurt, a little chilli paste, lemon and fresh coriander. It's mildly sweet and gently spicy, and needs no cooking. Serve it with idli, dhosa, bhajias or any savoury snack.
A thick, sweet-sour chutney of grated raw mango and jaggery, blended with crunchy fafadia gathia, cumin and red chilli. It's tangy and spicy, with a hint of sweetness, and is the traditional partner for dal kachori. It also goes well with samosas and other fried snacks.
A creamy, tangy chutney made by soaking crunchy fafadia gathia in yogurt and blending it smooth, then spicing it with red chilli. The gram-flour gathia thickens the yogurt and gives it a gentle, savoury flavour. It is the classic dip for chandu bhajiya, and good with any fried farsan.
Golden home-made croutons tossed with coriander, celery and black pepper, served on a warm salad of sweet corn, onion and toasted almonds with a squeeze of lemon. Day-old bread makes the crispest croutons. Add them just before serving so they stay crunchy.
A tropical salad of julienned mango, cucumber and cabbage with thin slices of fresh coconut and toasted pumpkin seeds. The dressing is sweet and hot with chilli flakes and parsley. Choose firm, semi-ripe mangoes so the strips hold their shape, and add them at the last minute.
A crunchy salad of golden fried almonds, roasted pumpkin seeds, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, celery and apple, with plenty of spring onion and coriander. The dressing is simply lemon juice, sugar and salt, so the fresh flavours shine. Serve it cold with crusty bread.
Raw cauliflower florets marinated in a little oil and vinegar, then mixed with sweet dates, banana, crisp red apples and celery on crunchy salad leaves. It is served with a creamy orange and mustard yogurt dressing. The mix of sweet, crunchy and tangy makes it a refreshing side for a summer lunch.
A smooth, cooling green chutney of fresh mint, coriander and green chillies blended into yogurt with a dash of vinegar. It's the classic partner for tikka, kebabs, samosas and pakoras, and also good drizzled over chaat.
A creamy, sweet-and-tangy raita of chilled yogurt with banana, grated cucumber and pepper, spiced with mustard, cumin and a little chilli. It's cooling next to spicy food: serve it with biryani or dhosa ladoo. For a festive version, add finely chopped apple and pomegranate seeds.
All the flavours of a Greek salad in a chunky dip: crumbled feta, chopped olives, tomato and spring onions, bound with garlicky olive oil and lemon. Serve it chilled with salted crackers, pitta bread or crisp vegetables.
A crunchy salad of red, yellow and green peppers with roasted peanuts, cucumber, carrots and celery, dressed with lemon, dill, mint and celery leaves. Just before serving, olive oil mixed with sesame seeds is poured over the top. It's colourful, filling and full of protein.
Crisp-tender snow peas, baby carrots and baby corn are boiled briefly, then mixed with quickly stir-fried courgettes, peppers and spring onions. Everything is tossed in a zingy dressing of chives, parsley, coriander, lemon and plenty of garlic. It is a warm salad that makes a light meal on its own.
A big, bright salad of red, green and yellow peppers, boiled peanuts, sweet corn, grapes, apple and coconut, tossed in a sweet-sour passion fruit and mint dressing. It is very popular at big parties: it looks festive, keeps its crunch and is easy to double. Serve it on a bed of crisp lettuce.
Soft baked aubergine scooped from its skin and blended with tahini dip, lemon, garlic, green chilli, basil and mint. It's creamy and smoky, a little like baba ganoush. Serve it with hot pitta bread.
The owner's version of hummus: boiled chickpeas blended with roasted sesame seeds and roasted peanuts instead of tahini, plus garlic, chilli, lemon and olive oil, and topped with spring onions. It's smooth, nutty and a little spicy. Serve it chilled with pitta bread or vegetable sticks.
A savoury yogurt raita full of finely chopped carrot, tomato, pepper, onion and green chilli, seasoned with chilli, cumin, black pepper and a dash of vinegar. It's cool, crunchy and lightly spiced. Serve it with rice dishes and biryani.
A smooth, tangy tomato salsa of blanched tomatoes, sautéed onion, garlic, chilli and plenty of oregano, with a touch of cumin and coriander seed. Serve it with nacho triangles, tacos, quesadillas or as a dip for any snack.
A thick, creamy garlic dip of sour cream and eggless mayonnaise with garlic paste, red pepper and dried parsley. Leaving it overnight lets the garlic flavour develop fully. Serve it with vegetable sticks, chips, crackers or potato wedges.
A cool, smooth dip of fresh yogurt blended with spring onions, cucumber, green chilli, garlic and roasted cumin. It's light and refreshing, and is just right with barbecued paneer, vegetable skewers and corn. Serve it well chilled.
A hot, garlicky chutney of tomatoes cooked down with garlic paste, red chilli and cumin, then mashed until coarse. It's served alongside pav bhaji for extra heat, and is also good with vada pav, dabeli and toasted sandwiches.
The classic coconut chutney for idli and dhosa: fresh coconut ground with soaked urad and chana dal, yogurt and chilli, then finished with a sizzling tempering of curry leaves and asafoetida. The lentils give it body and a nutty taste. Serve it with idli, dhosa, uttapam and medu vada.
A thick, creamy mint chutney made with hung-yogurt cottage cheese, so it clings to grilled food without running. It's fresh with mint and coriander and gently spicy. Serve it with barbecued paneer and vegetable skewers, tikka, kebabs and corn on the cob.
A thick, fresh chutney of grated coconut and raw mango blended with coconut water, chilli and coriander. With no yogurt it's dairy free and keeps its fresh coconut taste. It's served in East Africa with lentil fritters (bhajia), Zanzibar mix and Mombasa mix.
The everyday Gujarati green chutney: fresh coriander, hot green chillies, raw mango and green pepper blended coarsely with fafadia gathia, which thickens it and stops it going watery. It's hot, tangy and a little sweet. Serve it with dhokla, khandvi, sandwiches and all kinds of farsan.
A smooth, glossy red chilli sauce of salted fresh red chillies blended with tomato sauce, vinegar, garlic and jaggery. Salting the chillies overnight softens them and takes off some of the rawness. It keeps for weeks in a glass jar in the fridge and goes with spring rolls, samosas and noodles.
A very hot, deep-red paste of garlic, red chilli powder and roasted cumin with lemon juice and a little jaggery. Just a little adds a punch to bhel, sev puri, dabeli, vada pav and sandwiches. It keeps for a couple of weeks in a jar in the fridge.
Crisp mixed lettuce with creamy avocado, juicy orange segments, cubes of feta and roasted nuts, dressed with olive oil, lemon and herbs and finished with grated parmesan. It's a quick, elegant salad for a dinner party or a light lunch. Toss the avocado in lemon juice first so it stays green.
Carrots, turnips, three colours of pepper, cucumber, onion and tomato cut into fine matchsticks and spiced with chilli, lemon and coriander. A sizzling dressing of hot oil with cumin, mustard and sesame seeds is poured over at the table. It is crunchy and bright, and should be eaten as soon as it's dressed.
Sliced tomatoes, creamy avocado and spring onions in a honey, mustard and red wine vinegar dressing, with tortilla chips stirred in at the end for crunch. It is a quick, Mexican-style side for parties and barbecues. Add the chips just before serving and eat it straight away, before they soften.
A fresh, crunchy salad of home-sprouted mung beans with juicy pineapple, coconut, cucumber and cherry tomatoes, dressed with orange juice, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It is light, sweet and tangy, full of protein, and makes a healthy lunch on its own. Chill everything well, and add the lettuce at the last minute so it stays crisp.
Soft bulgar wheat topped with fennel wedges roasted with orange peel and juice until sweet and charred, then tossed with cherry tomatoes, olives, parsley and mint. It is fresh and filling, good as a light main course or alongside grilled vegetables and paneer. Serve it warm or at room temperature.
A crunchy, raita-like dip of sour cream packed with cucumber, coloured peppers, carrot and onion, with fresh coriander, green chilli and cumin. Chill it for a few hours so the flavours blend. Serve it with rice, naan or pitta.
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.
Onions fried gently until soft and sweet, then blended with fresh mint, green chilli and lemon juice. It's a mellow, fresh-tasting chutney that is great with bhajias, samosas, kebabs and tikka, or spread in sandwiches.
A crunchy Indian-style salad of finely shredded cabbage, fresh coconut, fried red peanuts and cashews, with plenty of chilli. The lemon dressing is tempered: mustard seeds are popped in hot oil first, which gives it a lovely nutty flavour. Serve it as a side with dal and rice, or with any Gujarati meal.
Crisp samosa-pastry cones stuffed with paneer, spring onion, coconut, aniseed and green chilli, dipped in batter and rolled in sesame breadcrumbs before frying. They look impressive on a party platter. Serve with red, green and tamarind chutneys.
A layered party dip: creamy cream cheese and feta sandwiching a bright green basil, spinach and parmesan pesto and a layer of sundried tomato paste. It's set in a lined bowl, then turned out so the layers show. Serve it with pieces of bread or crackers.
Short pieces of spaghetti in a peppery batter, fried in small balls until golden and crunchy. Kids love them. Serve hot with the quick tomato-chilli sauce.
A hearty Italian vegetable soup with cannellini beans, cabbage and a little spaghetti, finished with a bright basil and tomato pesto stirred in at the end. Don't let it boil hard once the vegetables are in: over-boiled soups lose their colour and body. Serve hot with crisp garlic toast.
A smooth, everyday soup of carrots and tomatoes, blended with potato for body and finished with a cumin tempering and mixed herbs. For a plain tomato soup, use more tomatoes and fewer carrots; for cream of tomato soup, stir in 4 tbsp fresh cream. Serve hot with garlic bread.
A light, sweet-and-sour soup made from ash gourd (kadu) stock, thickened with cornflour and seasoned with tomato and chilli sauces, vinegar and black pepper. Lightly fried carrot, cauliflower and spring onion go on top for crunch. Serve it with hot buns. Bottle gourd works just as well as ash gourd.
A clear, gingery broth with mushrooms, Chinese cabbage and fine rice noodles, seasoned with soy sauce and a little cider vinegar. It's light and quick, and good when you want something warming but not heavy. Serve it in warmed bowls.
Crisp slices of ciabatta or French bread topped with fresh tomato, spring onion and herbs, then grilled under cheddar until it bubbles. They're quick to make and ideal as a starter or a party snack. Serve hot.
Little cocktail samosas filled with chopped cashews, sautéed onion, coriander, chilli and a touch of lemon. The filling is rich and nutty with a gentle heat. Fry them slowly so the pastry turns golden and crisp all the way through, and serve hot with lemon wedges.
A silky, deep orange soup of carrots and onion with plenty of fresh ginger, sweetened with a little honey and finished with butter. It's light, warming and good for a cold day. Serve it topped with fine shreds of fresh ginger and some bread sticks.
A quick, bright green broccoli soup blended with garlic and basil, with yogurt for a gentle tang. Cook it just until hot: boiling it hard would split the yogurt. Serve hot with toast.
Long strips of mixed vegetables simmered in a cumin, ginger, garlic and chilli broth, with halved cashews for richness and crunch. It's light but warming, and ready in about half an hour. Serve it hot.
A rustic soup made by roasting potato, carrot, onion and celery until caramelised, then blending them smooth. It's topped with crisp roast potatoes and garlic, a swirl of cream and mixed herbs. Serve hot with croutons.
A smooth, pale green soup of ripe avocado, cucumber, lime and coriander, blended and served cold. It's refreshing on a hot day; serve it with lime quarters, coarse salt and nacho triangles. Mexicans also serve it hot: make it with boiling vegetable stock instead of cold water, just before serving, and don't reheat it.
A bright green soup of peas and lentils, thickened with a buttery curry roux and finished with mint and cream. Thin spaghetti makes it filling, and crisp three-cheese toast on the side turns it into a proper meal.
A thick, chunky vegetable soup with beans, herbs and small pasta, simmered slowly so the flavours come together. It's a meal in a bowl: serve it in warmed bowls with grated Parmesan, parsley and some crusty bread.
A smooth, creamy cauliflower soup flavoured with nutmeg and Parmesan, with little bow-tie pasta stirred through. It's served with crisp, curled melba toast sprinkled with Parmesan and paprika, so it makes a light meal on its own.
An Indo-Chinese restaurant favourite: a clear stock thickened with cornflour and packed with finely shredded vegetables and paneer or tofu. It gets its heat from black pepper and chilli and its sourness from vinegar. Serve it sizzling hot with green chillies in vinegar, chilli sauce and soy sauce on the side.
A smooth, velvety carrot soup blended with potato for body and finished with butter-fried coriander and a splash of milk. It's mild and warming, so it suits the whole family. Serve it with crusty bread or croutons.
Crumbly, buttery cheese pastry cut into strips, twisted, and baked with poppy seeds until crisp and golden. Serve them warm, or cool and store them in a tin for snacking.
Small, soft bread rolls made with half plain and half wholemeal flour, shaped long and baked until golden. They're best warm from the oven with a bowl of soup, and freeze well once cooled.
Crisp, buttery crackers topped with a chaat-style mixture of crushed roasted peanuts, chilli, garlic, coriander and lemon. There's no cooking: just mix and spoon on. Assemble them just before serving so the crackers stay crisp.
Crunchy little fritters packed with grated paneer, sweetcorn, cabbage, onion and cashews in a spiced gram-flour and semolina batter. Topped with grated cheese and dots of chilli sauce, they make a filling party starter. Serve hot.
Golden fried cashews tossed in a hot wok with spring onions and red and green chillies. Ready in five minutes and gone just as fast. Serve hot.
Small cubes of potato tossed in chilli, lemon and salt, dusted with maize, wheat and gram flour and deep fried until crunchy. Fry them in small portions so each bhajiya stays separate. Serve hot with chandu bhajiya chutney.
A Kenyan coast favourite: freshly fried chips tossed in a hot, tangy 'pussin' sauce of melted margarine, paprika, chilli and lemon juice. Toss them while the chips are still hot so they soak up the sauce, and serve straight away.
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