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WhatToEat.Today

High-protein vegetarian meals

Meat-free meals with plenty of protein from paneer, dal, beans, tofu and eggs. (509 recipes)

Atsuage no nimonoSimmered fried tofu and greens

Atsuage no nimono is the kind of simmered dish that turns up on everyday dinner tables across Japan, especially in autumn and winter when komatsuna and spinach are at their best. Thick blocks of fried tofu, crisp outside and soft within, are simmered in a light, slightly sweet broth of dashi and soy until they drink it up, then the greens go in for the last few minutes. This version uses kombu and shiitake dashi and no mirin, so it is vegan and alcohol-free. Served as a main for two with rice, each portion gives about 23 g of protein, from the fried tofu. The common mistake is boiling the broth hard, which toughens the tofu and makes the greens drab. Chef's tip: pour boiling water over the atsuage first to rinse off surface oil; the broth then soaks in instead of sliding off.

25 minJapaneseVegetarianVegan
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Sopa de frijolesBlack bean soup

In Honduras and Guatemala, from Tegucigalpa's comedores to family kitchens in the Guatemalan highlands, sopa de frijoles is the soup of rainy-season evenings and Sunday lunches: black beans simmered until the broth turns inky and silky, seasoned with onion, sweet pepper, garlic and plenty of culantro or coriander. Each bowl is finished at the table with a spoonful of thick cream and served with warm corn tortillas. A bowl gives about 24 g of protein from the beans and cream. Many cooks crumble over salty fresh cheese, which is often made with animal rennet; choose one labelled vegetarian, or leave it out. Soak the beans for 12 hours first; that time is not counted below. The most common mistake is serving it watery: the broth should be thick enough to coat a spoon, so mash some beans into it. Chef's tip: for a vegan bowl, swap the cream for avocado slices.

110 minCentral AmericanSoupsGluten free
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Fagioli al fiascoSlow-cooked cannellini beans with sage

In Tuscany, and above all in Florence and the Chianti hills, beans were once cooked overnight in an old glass wine flask set in the dying embers of the hearth, and fagioli al fiasco are still made in autumn when the new season's peppery olive oil arrives in November. Cannellini, sage, garlic and oil are sealed in a lidded pot and cooked very slowly, so the beans turn creamy and buttery inside while staying whole. At home a heavy casserole in a low oven does the job. Served as a side or a light main with toasted bread, a portion gives about 23 g of protein from the beans. Soak the beans for 12 hours first; that time is not counted below. The most common mistake is letting the liquid boil: fast bubbling splits the skins and turns the beans mealy. Chef's tip: salt only at the very end, and pour over your best oil at the table, not during cooking, where its fresh flavour is lost.

160 minItalianSidesVeganGluten free
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Brongkos with tofu and tempehTofu and tempeh black nut stew

Brongkos is one of Yogyakarta's old royal-kitchen dishes, a near-black stew of keluak nut paste and coconut milk eaten at lunch with rice, often alongside gudeg. The classic pot holds beef with tofu and cowpeas; this is a vegetarian version, using tofu, tempeh and red cowpeas only, which many Jogja families also cook. The keluak gives a deep, earthy, almost chocolatey flavour, softened by coconut milk and a little palm sugar. A portion gives about 29 g of protein, from the tofu, tempeh and cowpeas. The dried cowpeas need soaking for 8 hours or overnight first, which is not counted in the times. The common mistake is using keluak that has gone bad: crack each nut and smell it; the flesh should be dark and smell earthy, never sour or mouldy. Chef's tip: brongkos is better the next day, when the beans and tofu have soaked up the sauce.

95 minIndonesianCurriesVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Dal adasRed lentil curry with dried lime

Along the Persian Gulf coast in Bushehr, Bandar Abbas and the towns of Hormozgan, centuries of trade with India gave rise to dal adas, a red lentil curry that is now a favourite lunch and a popular vegetarian dish in Muharram nazri cooking. The lentils cook down with onion, garlic, turmeric and warm curry spices into a thick, golden stew, sharpened with tamarind and the musky sourness of dried lime, and are eaten with rice or flatbread. A portion gives about 21 g of protein from the red lentils, with a little more from the potato. The most common mistake is leaving the dried limes in too long or uncracked: they turn the dal bitter, so pierce them and lift them out once the sourness is right. Chef's tip: fry the spices in the oil with the onions for a full minute before the lentils go in; the curry flavour depends on it.

50 minPersianCurriesVeganGluten free
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Botok tempeTempeh and coconut in banana leaf

In village kitchens of Central and East Java, from Klaten to Kediri, botok is a weekday parcel dish: crumbled tempeh mixed with freshly grated coconut, chilli, galangal and a little palm sugar, wrapped in banana leaf with a bay leaf and steamed until set. It comes to the table at lunch, unwrapped beside rice, and tastes of toasted coconut and bay, moist and crumbly rather than saucy. Each portion has about 125 g of tempeh plus coconut, giving roughly 24 g of protein, mainly from the tempeh. The common mistake is wrapping the parcels loosely, so steam gets in and the filling turns wet; fold them snugly and pin them shut. Chef's tip: squeeze a little of the coconut through your fingers before mixing; if it feels dry, add a spoon or two of water so the botok binds when it steams.

55 minIndonesianVegetarianVeganGluten freeSpicy
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Methi dalLentils with fenugreek leaves

In Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi homes, methi dal arrives in late autumn and winter, when bunches of fresh fenugreek are cheap and fragrant at every vegetable cart. The leaves are stirred into a pot of soft toor and moong dal, where their gentle bitterness balances the earthy lentils, and a cumin and garlic tadka goes over the top. It is a light everyday dinner with phulka or rice. A portion gives about 21 g of protein from the two dals, for about 350 kcal. The most common mistake is cooking the leaves for too long or chopping in the thick stems, which makes the dal bitter and stringy: use only leaves and tender tips and add them for the last few minutes. Chef's tip: toss the chopped leaves with a pinch of salt, leave them for 10 minutes and squeeze out the green juice; it takes the harsh edge off the bitterness without losing the flavour.

45 minIndianCurriesVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Guota doufuEgg-battered pan-fried tofu

Guota doufu comes from the Lu kitchen of Shandong, where guota means pan-fried and then simmered so the coating soaks up the sauce. It is a banquet dish in Jinan restaurants and a family favourite at home: tofu slices are dusted in flour, dipped in egg, fried golden, then simmered briefly in a savoury stock with ginger and spring onion until the eggy coating turns tender and juicy. This version uses vegetable stock and no cooking wine. A portion gives about 24 g of protein, from the tofu and eggs. The common mistake is too much stock, which turns the coating soggy and loose; add only enough to come halfway up the tofu. Chef's tip: shake off the excess flour well before the egg, or the coating peels away in sheets.

30 minChineseVegetarian
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Oseng tempeStir-fried tempeh with chilli

Oseng tempe is the quick fix of Javanese home cooking, made in Semarang, Surabaya and every student boarding house in between for weekday lunch or dinner with plain rice. Thin matchsticks of tempeh are fried until crisp-edged, then tossed with shallot, garlic, sliced chilli, galangal and bay leaf in sweet soy sauce until sticky, sweet, salty and hot. A portion with about 125 g of tempeh gives roughly 24 g of protein, almost all from the tempeh. The common mistake is adding the sweet soy too early, before the tempeh has browned: it soaks in, burns and turns the strips soft. Chef's tip: fry the tempeh separately first, then build the sauce and return it at the end, so every strip stays a little crunchy.

25 minIndonesianVegetarianVeganSpicy
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Chana ghassiBlack chickpea coconut curry

Chana ghassi is a Mangalorean and Udupi favourite, cooked for Sunday breakfast with soft neer dosa or for a weekday lunch over boiled rice. Small black chickpeas are simmered until tender and then cooked in a russet gravy of coconut and spices roasted in coconut oil, sharpened with tamarind and finished with fried onion and curry leaves. A portion gives about 21 g of protein, mostly from the black chickpeas with a little from the coconut. The chickpeas need 8 hours of soaking first (overnight is easiest), which is not counted in the times. The most common mistake is under-roasting the coconut and spices: the gravy then tastes raw and flat instead of deep and toasty. Chef's tip: roast the dried chillies, coriander and fenugreek first and the coconut last, until it turns an even reddish brown; grind it with a little of the chickpea cooking water for the smoothest gravy.

65 minIndianCurriesVeganGluten free
by KrazyBadal 0 views

Pad thua ngok tao hoo (Thai bean sprouts and tofu stir-fry)

This plain, fast stir-fry is a fixture of home kitchens and made-to-order rice stalls across central Thailand, where it is eaten as one of two or three dishes shared over jasmine rice at dinner. Firm tofu is browned first, then the sprouts go in for barely a minute so they stay juicy and snap when you bite them. Thai cooks often season it with oyster sauce and fish sauce; this version uses soy and a mushroom-based sauce so it is vegan. The mistake almost everyone makes is cooking the sprouts too long, which turns them limp and watery. Chef's tip: pick off the stringy tails of the sprouts if you have five spare minutes; it makes the dish noticeably crisper.

11 minThaiVegetarianVegan
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Dim bhunaFried boiled eggs in masala

Dim bhuna is a Bangladeshi weeknight standby, cooked in kitchens from Chattogram to Sylhet when there are eggs in the basket and rice on the stove. Boiled eggs are fried until their skins blister golden, then tossed in a thick, dark masala of slow-browned onion and garlic that clings to them rather than pooling as a gravy. Eat it with plain rice, daal and a squeeze of lime. The mistake most people make is dropping smooth whole eggs into hot oil: they spit and can burst, and the masala slides off. Chef's tip: score each peeled egg with three shallow cuts so it fries safely and soaks up the spices.

30 minBangladeshiCurriesGluten free
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Œufs mimosaStuffed eggs with grated yolk

Œufs mimosa have been a starter in French bistros and on family tables for generations, served at Sunday lunch, on Easter platters and as a light supper with salad and bread. Hard-boiled eggs are halved, their yolks mashed with mayonnaise and mustard and piped back in, then a little yolk is grated over the top so it looks like the fluffy yellow flowers of the mimosa tree. They are naturally gluten free. The most common mistake is overboiling the eggs, which leaves a grey-green ring around the yolk and a sulphurous taste; 10 minutes and an ice bath is enough. Chef's tip: keep back one yolk just for grating, so the topping stays bright yellow and dry.

24 minFrenchSnacks & StartersGluten free
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NimrooHalf-set fried eggs

Nimroo, literally 'half-done', is what Iranian students in Tehran and families in every city cook when there is no time: eggs fried gently in a small pan until the whites set and the yolks stay soft, sprinkled with salt, pepper and sometimes a pinch of turmeric. It is eaten straight from the pan with torn lavash or sangak, fresh herbs and sweet black tea, for breakfast or a late supper. The common mistake is a fierce heat that burns the edges of the white while a raw film stays round the yolk; a lid for the last minute sets the top gently. For anyone pregnant, very young, older or with a weakened immune system, cook the yolks until firm. Chef's tip: serve it in the pan it was cooked in, on a board, so it stays hot.

8 minPersianBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
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Jajecznica (Polish scrambled eggs)

Jajecznica is what a Polish household cooks when there are ten minutes and a box of eggs: soft, large curds stirred slowly in plenty of butter, sometimes with a little onion softened first and always with a shower of chives. It turns up at weekend breakfasts with bread and sliced tomato, and just as often as a light supper after work. The usual mistake is a pan that is too hot, which turns the eggs rubbery and weepy before they have had a chance to go creamy. If you are cooking for anyone pregnant, very young, older or otherwise vulnerable, cook the curds until no liquid egg remains. Chef's tip: take the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly underdone; they finish setting on the way to the plate.

10 minPolishBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
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Sukhi moong dalDry yellow moong dal

Sukhi (dry) moong dal is made in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh when there is no time for a soupy dal, or to roll into parathas and pack for journeys; Marwari families often serve it at weddings with kachoris. Soaked yellow moong is cooked with just enough water to soften it while keeping the grains whole, then lifted with amchur, ginger and a ghee tempering. The mistake to avoid is too much water or stirring hard, which turns it into a mushy khichdi; add water a little at a time and fold gently. Chef's tip: soak the dal for at least 30 minutes, which is why this dish takes longer than the cooking alone. It is one of the few dals that is just as good at room temperature.

55 minIndianCurriesGluten free
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Tempe goreng (Javanese crisp fried tempeh)

Tempe goreng is the everyday protein of Central and East Java, fried fresh in homes and warungs morning and evening and eaten with rice, sambal and a vegetable such as urap or sayur asem. The tempeh is soaked briefly in a salty garlic and coriander-seed brine, then fried until the outside is crunchy and the inside nutty and firm. The mistake people make is slicing it too thick, which leaves a bitter, raw-tasting centre; keep slices about 5 mm thick. If you soak it for longer than 15 minutes, do it in the fridge. Chef's tip: fry in oil that comes halfway up the slices and turn them only once, so the crust stays whole.

20 minIndonesianSnacks & StartersVeganGluten free
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Japanese tofu salad

Tofu sarada is a fixture on Japanese izakaya menus and family dinner tables everywhere from Tokyo to Fukuoka, especially in the humid summer months. Cool cubes of tofu sit on crisp lettuce, tomato and cucumber under a sesame-soy dressing sharpened with rice vinegar and ginger, with a few strands of wakame if you have them. It makes a light dinner with rice and miso soup. The usual mistake is not draining the tofu, so its water dilutes the dressing into a bland pool. Many shop-bought wafu dressings contain bonito; this home-made one is vegan. Chef's tip: dress the salad at the table so the leaves stay crisp.

10 minJapaneseSaladsVegan
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Mchuzi wa mayaiEgg curry in coconut and tomato

On the Swahili coast, from Mombasa and Malindi to Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, mchuzi wa mayai is the curry made when there is no meat or fish in the house: boiled eggs simmered in a turmeric-yellow sauce of tomato and coconut milk with ginger, chilli and fresh coriander. It is a weeknight supper with white rice or soft chapati, and it costs very little. The mistake to avoid is boiling hard once the coconut milk goes in, which makes the sauce split and turn oily; keep it at a gentle bubble. Chef's tip: score each peeled egg with a few shallow cuts so the sauce seeps inside and the eggs don't slide around the pan.

25 minEast AfricanCurriesGluten free
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CrepiocaTapioca and egg crêpe

Crepioca is the crêpe that took over Brazilian breakfast tables and gym cafés from São Paulo to Recife: one egg whisked with a spoonful of tapioca starch, cooked thin in a non-stick pan and folded round cheese and tomato. It is naturally gluten free, ready in ten minutes and just as good as a late, light supper as it is with morning coffee. The common mistake is pouring the batter without a last whisk: tapioca starch sinks to the bottom of the bowl in seconds, and the crêpe then comes out patchy and gluey. Mozzarella is often made with animal rennet, so choose a vegetarian mozzarella if that matters to you. Chef's tip: let the pan heat for a full minute before the batter goes in, so the crêpe sets at once and slides free when you shake the pan.

10 minBrazilianBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
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Matar paneerPea and paneer curry

Matar paneer is one of Punjab's most-cooked dinners, made in North Indian homes for a midweek meal or when guests drop in, and served with butter rotis, parathas or jeera rice. Soft cubes of paneer and sweet green peas simmer in a gravy of browned onion, tomato, ginger and garlic, finished with garam masala and a pinch of crushed fenugreek. Paneer is set with lemon juice or vinegar, not rennet, so it is a safe choice for vegetarians. The common mistake is boiling the paneer in the gravy for too long, which makes it rubbery and squeaky. Chef's tip: soak the paneer cubes in hot salted water for 10 minutes while the gravy cooks; they turn soft and spongy and soak up the sauce.

30 minIndianCurriesGluten free
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Dim bhajiOnion and chilli omelette

In Dhaka homes dim bhaji is what appears when there is rice and daal on the table but nothing else: a thin, lacy omelette packed with red onion, green chilli and coriander, fried in mustard oil until the edges crisp. It is eaten folded over a plate of hot rice, or with paratha for breakfast. The usual mistake is a pan that isn't hot enough, which leaves the omelette pale, flat and rubbery instead of puffed with golden edges. Chef's tip: heat mustard oil until it just smokes, then let it calm for a few seconds; that tames its raw sharpness and gives the classic nutty flavour.

10 minBangladeshiBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
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Masala omeletteSpiced chilli omelette

From hostel kitchens in Pune to the egg carts outside Chennai railway stations, the masala omelette is what India makes when breakfast, a late supper or a tiffin filling has to be ready in minutes. Eggs are beaten with raw onion, tomato, green chilli, coriander and a pinch of turmeric, then spread thin on a hot tawa so the edges crisp and the middle stays soft and juicy. Eat it folded with buttered toast, rolled in a chapati, or beside dal and rice. The usual mistake is chopping the onion and tomato too coarsely: big pieces stop the egg setting round them and the omelette tears when you flip it. Chef's tip: salt the eggs only at the last second before they hit the pan, because salted tomato weeps water into the batter and the omelette turns spongy.

11 minIndianBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
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Huevos al albañil (bricklayer's eggs)

Huevos al albañil, 'bricklayer's eggs', come from the fondas and food stalls of central Mexico that feed builders a filling breakfast before the sun gets hot: scrambled eggs cooked gently and then bathed in a spicy salsa of charred tomato and serrano chile. They are eaten with warm corn tortillas and refried beans, and they make an equally good quick dinner. The mistake is cooking the eggs fully before they meet the salsa; they keep cooking in it and end up dry and rubbery. Chef's tip: char the tomatoes and chiles until properly blackened in spots, which gives the salsa its smoky depth.

20 minMexicanBreakfast & BrunchGluten freeSpicy
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Omelet-e gojeh farangiTomato and egg omelette

In Iran the word omelet means something quite different from a folded French one: ripe tomatoes are cooked down in oil with a little onion and turmeric until jammy, then eggs are stirred through so they set in soft streaks of red and gold. It is the classic quick dinner of Tehran apartments and student dorms, eaten from the pan with lavash and a plate of herbs. The mistake that makes it watery is adding the eggs before the tomato juices have cooked away; wait until the sauce is thick and the oil sizzles again. Chef's tip: grate the tomatoes on a box grater and throw away the skins, so the base melts down in minutes.

20 minPersianBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
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Tortilla de plátanoRipe plantain omelette

In Havana and across the Cuban countryside, tortilla de plátano is a home supper made from what is in the kitchen: slices of very ripe plantain fried until caramelised, then set in a thick, golden omelette. The sweet fruit against salty egg is the whole point, and it is served with white rice and black beans or a simple tomato salad. The mistake people make is using a plantain that is still yellow and firm; it stays starchy and dry, so wait until the skin is mostly black and the fruit gives when pressed. Chef's tip: flip the tortilla by sliding it onto a plate, covering with the pan and turning both over together, which keeps it whole.

20 minCubanBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
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Kosua ne mekoBoiled eggs with pepper relish

In the traffic of Accra and at the lorry stations of Kumasi, hawkers carry trays of peeled boiled eggs with a jar of meko, a fresh, fiery relish of chilli, onion and tomato ground in an earthenware asanka. Buyers split the egg and spoon the pepper inside, and at home it is a quick evening snack or a light supper with bread. The usual mistake is boiling the eggs too long, which leaves a grey-green ring round the yolk and a rubbery white; ten minutes and a cold-water plunge give a firm, bright yolk. Wash your hands well after handling the chillies. Chef's tip: grind the onion and salt first, then the chilli and the tomato last, so the relish stays chunky rather than watery.

15 minGhanaianSnacks & StartersGluten freeSpicy
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AkuriSpiced scrambled eggs

Akuri is the Parsi community's breakfast scramble, served in Mumbai's old Irani cafés and Parsi homes on Sunday mornings with soft pav or buttered toast. It is softer and wetter than an ordinary scramble, cooked slowly so the eggs stay creamy and barely set, with sweet fried onion, tomato, ginger, green chilli and plenty of coriander. A spoonful of milk keeps it silky. The common mistake is cooking it over high heat: the eggs seize into hard, rubbery curds and the masala catches. Chef's tip: take the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly underdone, because they keep cooking on the plate.

15 minIndianBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
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Gzik (Poznań quark with radish and chives)

Gzik is a Poznań favourite, so much a part of Greater Poland that the region's potato-and-quark supper, pyry z gzikiem, has its own festival. Soft white quark is beaten with sour cream, then mixed with chopped radish, onion and chives into a cool, tangy, crunchy spread that is spooned over hot boiled potatoes in their skins, or onto rye bread for breakfast. The most common mistake is using dry, crumbly quark without loosening it, which gives a pasty gzik; it should be smooth and just spoonable. Quark and sour cream are made without rennet, so this is a good vegetarian choice. Chef's tip: salt the chopped radish and onion only at the last minute, so they stay crisp instead of weeping into the cheese.

30 minPolishChutneys & DipsGluten free
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Tvorog so smetanoy (farmer's cheese with sour cream)

Across Russia, a bowl of soft tvorog with a spoon of smetana and a little sugar or jam is the breakfast grandmothers swear by and the supper students live on. The fresh, slightly sour curd and the cool cream make something like a rustic cheesecake you eat with a spoon, high in protein and ready in five minutes; add berries in summer. Tvorog, like quark and cottage cheese, is set with culture rather than rennet, so it suits vegetarians. The mistake is buying the driest block and serving it as it is, which feels chalky; break it up and loosen it with the smetana first. Chef's tip: mash the tvorog with the sugar and let it stand two minutes so the sugar dissolves before you add the cream.

5 minRussianBreakfast & BrunchGluten free
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Egg ghotalaSpicy egg mash

Egg ghotala was born on the evening street stalls of Surat in Gujarat, where cooks on huge iron tawas mash boiled eggs and fresh eggs together into a rich, buttery masala and serve it with pav for dinner. 'Ghotala' means a muddle, and that is the point: half the eggs are grated, half are scrambled straight into the onion-tomato base, so you get creamy and chunky bites together. Some stalls finish it with grated cheese; if you add some, check the label, because many cheeses are made with animal rennet, and choose one marked vegetarian. The usual mistake is adding the raw eggs too early, before the masala is cooked down, which leaves the dish watery and pale. Chef's tip: keep the heat high and keep mashing with the back of the spatula, as the stall cooks do, so the eggs and masala blend into one thick mix.

23 minIndianBreakfast & BrunchGluten freeSpicy
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Ghanaian egg stew

Egg stew is the fastest stew in a Ghanaian kitchen, made in Accra and Kumasi homes for breakfast or a weeknight dinner: onions, fresh tomatoes and red pepper are cooked down in oil until thick and sweet, then beaten eggs are stirred through so they set in soft, sauce-coated curds. It is eaten with boiled yam or green plantain (ampesi), rice, or a soft bread roll. The mistake that makes it taste raw and sharp is adding the egg too soon: the tomato base must fry until the oil rises to the top. Many cooks use a stock cube, which is often chicken-based, so this version uses a vegetable cube. Chef's tip: pour the eggs in a thin stream and wait 30 seconds before the first stir, so they form large, tender pieces instead of crumbs.

25 minGhanaianCurriesGluten free
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Palak paneerPaneer in spinach sauce

Palak paneer is a Punjabi winter favourite, made when fresh spinach piles up in the markets of Amritsar and Ludhiana, and now cooked on weeknights all over India with makki di roti, naan or rice. The spinach is blanched for just a minute, blended smooth and cooked with fried garlic, onion, tomato and gentle spices, then soft cubes of paneer are folded in. Paneer is acid-set, so it contains no animal rennet. The usual mistake is overcooking the spinach, which turns the sauce khaki and bitter: blanch it briefly, cool it fast, and simmer the purée for only a few minutes. Chef's tip: fry a little extra sliced garlic in ghee and pour it over just before serving for the classic dhaba finish.

30 minIndianCurriesGluten free
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Anda curryEgg curry

Anda curry is the North Indian weeknight curry that comes together when the fridge holds little more than eggs, onions and tomatoes, served across Punjab and Uttar Pradesh with rotis, jeera rice or paratha. Hard-boiled eggs are scored and fried with turmeric and chilli so they get a speckled, golden skin, then simmered in a gravy of browned onion, ginger, garlic, tomato and garam masala. The common mistake is under-browning the onions: pale onions give a thin, raw-tasting gravy, so cook them until they are deep golden. Chef's tip: make shallow cuts in the boiled eggs before frying, so the masala seeps into the whites.

30 minIndianCurriesGluten free
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Chilli paneerPaneer with peppers and soy

Chilli paneer was born in the Chinese restaurants of Kolkata's Tangra and Tiretta Bazaar, where Hakka cooks adapted their chilli chicken for vegetarian customers, and today it is the Friday-night order from Delhi to Bengaluru. Cubes of paneer are coated in cornflour and fried crisp, then tossed over a fierce flame with onion petals, green pepper, garlic, soy sauce and plenty of green chilli in a glossy sauce. Paneer is set with acid, not rennet, so it is fully vegetarian. The mistake to avoid is letting the paneer sit in the sauce, which makes the crust soggy; toss it in at the very end and serve. Chef's tip: soak the paneer in hot salted water for 5 minutes before coating; it stays soft inside even after frying. Soy sauce contains wheat; use tamari if you need it gluten-free.

25 minIndianVegetarianSpicy
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Ash-e dandooni (Persian first-tooth soup)

When an Iranian baby's first tooth appears, the family cooks a big pot of ash-e dandooni and shares it with relatives and neighbours, who return the bowl with a small gift for the baby. It is a hearty, mild soup of whole wheat, chickpeas, beans and lentils, eaten by the whole family; in some homes the little one gets the soft, mashed grains without salt or toppings. It is free of milk, egg, nuts and soya and contains gluten (wheat). Chef's tip: soak the wheat and pulses together overnight, so everything cooks at the same speed.

120 minPersianSoupsVegan
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Fliegenpilz-Eier (toadstool eggs)

German children's birthday parties and Easter tables often feature a little forest of Fliegenpilz-Eier: hard-boiled eggs standing on cress, each wearing a red tomato cap dotted with mayonnaise like a fly agaric toadstool. Children love making them as much as eating them. They are meant for school-age children: for younger ones, cut the eggs and tomatoes into small pieces rather than serving them whole. Contains egg (also in the mayonnaise); free of gluten and milk. Chef's tip: slice a thin piece off the bottom of each egg so it stands steady.

25 minGermanSnacks & StartersGluten free
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Dal paratha

In north Indian kitchens, last night's thick dal rarely goes to waste: the next morning it is kneaded into wholewheat flour with ajwain and coriander and rolled into soft, savoury parathas for breakfast and the school tiffin. They are golden-flecked, faintly spiced and filling, and taste good cold with yoghurt or pickle. They contain gluten (wheat) and milk (ghee); use oil to make them dairy free. Chef's tip: add the dal before any water; it is often all the liquid the dough needs.

35 minIndianBreads & Parathas
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Hong dan (Chinese red eggs)

When a Chinese baby turns one month old, the family holds a full-month party and sends red eggs to relatives and friends: the round egg stands for new life and the red for luck and joy, and an even number is given for a boy in some families and an odd number for a girl in others. The eggs are shared by the guests and older children, peeled and eaten plain or with a little salt. This version dyes them with beetroot rather than food colouring. It contains egg. Chef's tip: dye the eggs while they are still warm and the shells take the colour much more evenly.

30 minChineseSnacks & StartersGluten free
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Bean broth for babies (caldito de frijol)

Mexican families nearly always have a pot of frijoles de la olla on the stove, and before the salt goes in a cup of caldito is set aside for the baby. Black or pinto beans are cooked slowly with a piece of onion until they collapse; the broth is offered first on its own and, a week or two later, thickened with the sieved bean flesh into a smooth, earthy purée. Families from Oaxaca to Monterrey give it at midday, the time of the main meal. It has none of the common allergens (milk, egg, gluten, peanut, tree nuts, soya, sesame, fish). Chef's tip: soak the beans overnight and change the water; they cook more evenly and are easier on small tummies.

130 minMexicanSoupsVeganGluten free
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Liangban fuzhuTofu skin and cucumber salad

Fuzhu, the dried sticks made from the skin that forms on simmering soy milk, are a pantry staple in Guangxi and Sichuan and in Buddhist vegetarian kitchens across China. Soaked until soft and chewy, they are tossed in this cold dish with cucumber, carrot and wood ear in a dressing of garlic, vinegar and sesame oil, served in summer with rice or noodles. It is high in protein and very satisfying. A portion is about 170 kcal. Soak the fuzhu in cold water for 2–3 hours or overnight, not counted in the times. The common mistake is soaking in hot water, which leaves the outside mushy and the centre hard. Chef's tip: blanch the soaked sticks briefly; it cleans off the beany taste and makes them softer and juicier.

20 minChineseSaladsVegan
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Dubu buchim tofu fingers

Dubu buchim, slices of tofu dipped in beaten egg and fried until golden, is an everyday Korean banchan, and families cut it into fingers for babies from about nine months to hold and gum. The outside is lightly crisp and the inside custard-soft, with a mild, nutty flavour. For babies it is made without salt, soy sauce or the usual sesame-soy dip; older children and adults can add the dip at the table. It contains soya and egg. Chef's tip: press the tofu well first, so it fries rather than steams and the egg coating sticks.

20 minKoreanSidesGluten free
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Gomoku mameSimmered mixed beans

Gomoku mame, "five-ingredient beans", is a pot of soybeans simmered with kombu, carrot, burdock, konnyaku and shiitake that grandmothers across Japan make on a Sunday and keep in the fridge for a week of small side dishes and bento, and it is often part of the New Year spread too. Every piece is cut to the size of a bean, so each spoonful has a little of everything, sweet, savoury and full of protein. This is vegetarian, with no bonito. A portion is about 150 kcal. Using cooked soybeans makes it a 45-minute dish; from dried, soak 150 g overnight and boil for 1 hour first. The usual mistake is cutting the vegetables in large chunks; they should be the size of the beans. Chef's tip: let it cool in its broth; the beans soak up the flavour as the temperature drops.

45 minJapaneseSidesVegan
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Chana sundalChickpea coconut stir-fry

On the sand of Chennai's Marina Beach, vendors sell sundal in paper cones at sunset, and during the nine nights of Navaratri every Tamil home makes a different sundal to offer at the golu doll display and hand out to visiting neighbours. This one is chickpeas tossed in a hot tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, dried chilli and curry leaves, finished with fresh coconut and a squeeze of lime. A portion is about 190 kcal. Using cooked or tinned chickpeas keeps it under 20 minutes; if you start from dried, soak 120 g overnight and pressure-cook them until soft. The common mistake is wet, mushy chickpeas, which make the coconut clump; drain them well and let them steam dry for a few minutes. Chef's tip: add the coconut off the heat; cooked coconut loses its fresh, milky sweetness.

17 minIndianSnacks & StartersVeganGluten free
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Sárgaborsó-főzelékSplit pea purée

In Hungarian homes split yellow peas are winter food, and on New Year's Day many families in Budapest eat this thick purée (or lentils) for luck in the coming year. The peas collapse into a smooth, earthy mash flavoured with bay and garlic, and a crown of onions fried until dark gold gives sweetness and crunch. It is usually served beside sausage, but this version is fully vegan and makes a filling meal with fresh bread and pickled cucumbers. Chef's tip: let the onions go slowly to a deep brown in plenty of oil and pour that oil over the purée too, because it carries most of the flavour. Pale, hurried onions are the usual mistake.

65 minHungarianVegetarianVeganGluten free
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KongguksuCold soybean noodle soup

When the monsoon heat settles over Seoul in July, queues form outside old noodle houses near City Hall for kongguksu: thin wheat noodles in an ice-cold, thick, nutty broth of soybeans boiled and blended with their skins, topped with cucumber and sesame. It is plain, rich and very cooling, and people season it at the table with salt (in Seoul) or sugar (in Jeolla). A bowl is about 520 kcal, a full meal with plenty of protein. Soak the soybeans overnight first, not counted in the times. The most common mistake is overboiling the soybeans, which gives a fermented, "meju" smell; boil them for exactly 10–12 minutes and taste one: it should be cooked but not soft. Chef's tip: blend a handful of pine nuts or toasted sesame with the beans; it makes the broth even creamier.

40 minKoreanPasta & NoodlesVegan
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Matki usalSprouted moth bean curry

Every Marathi kitchen from Pune to Kolhapur keeps a jar of matki, the small brown moth beans, sprouting on the counter, and a bowl of usal is what turns up with chapati or bhakri at a weekday lunch, or topped with farsan as misal on Sundays. The sprouts stay slightly firm in a thin, spicy gravy flavoured with goda masala, the sweet-smoky spice mix of Maharashtra, and a little fresh coconut. A portion is about 230 kcal. Sprouting takes 2 days (soak overnight, then leave wrapped in a cloth for 24–36 hours), which is not counted in the times. The common mistake is overcooking the sprouts until they split and go mushy; they should hold their shape and still have a slight bite. Chef's tip: add a teaspoon of jaggery and a few kokum petals at the end; the gentle sweet-sour balance is what makes usal taste Maharashtrian.

40 minIndianVegetarianVeganGluten free
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Tofu steak

Tofu steak became a family-restaurant and home favourite across Japan in the health-food boom of the 1980s, and it is still how many Tokyo households get a quick, light main dish on the table: thick slabs of firm tofu dusted with potato starch, seared until golden, then glazed in a garlicky soy, mirin and sugar sauce until sticky. Serve with rice, shredded cabbage and miso soup. A portion is about 260 kcal. The common mistake is skipping the pressing, so the tofu spits in the pan and won't brown; press it for 10 minutes first. Chef's tip: add the sauce only once both sides are golden, and let it bubble down for just a minute so it coats rather than soaks.

20 minJapaneseVegetarianVegan
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