Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.
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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.
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 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.
The famous East African potato bhajiya: wafer-thin potato slices coated in a garlicky, chilli gram-flour batter and fried until crisp. Make them in small batches so the batter doesn't go watery. Serve hot with maru bhajiya chutney.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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