High-protein vegetarian meals

Meat-free meals with plenty of protein from paneer, dal, beans, tofu and eggs. (550 recipes)

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 min

Indonesian Curries

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Tempe bacemSweet braised tempeh

Every warung in Yogyakarta and Solo has a tray of tempe bacem on the counter, dark, sticky and sweet, eaten at lunch with rice, sambal and a few raw cucumber slices, or packed for journeys because it keeps so well. The tempeh is simmered slowly in coconut water with palm sugar, galangal, coriander seed and bay leaf until the liquid has gone and every slab is glazed, then seared briefly so the edges caramelise. A portion of about 150 g of tempeh gives roughly 28 g of protein, nearly all from the fermented soybeans. The common mistake is turning the heat up to hurry the braise: the sugar catches and turns bitter before the tempeh has soaked anything up. Chef's tip: make it a day ahead; bacem tastes deeper after a night in the fridge and sears better cold.

65 min

Indonesian Vegetarian

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Baicai dun doufuCabbage and tofu stew

In Beijing, Shenyang and Harbin, napa cabbage is stored by the hundredweight for winter, and this gentle stew of cabbage and tofu is what many families eat on a cold evening with steamed buns or rice. The cabbage softens and sweetens into the broth, while the tofu turns silky and swells with flavour; ginger and white pepper give it warmth. Salt is the only seasoning, so it stays gluten free. Each portion has about 230 kcal and roughly 21 g of protein, from 150 g of firm tofu. The common mistake is adding all the cabbage at once: the leaves overcook while the thick stems stay crunchy. Chef's tip: fry the cabbage stems in the oil until their edges brown before adding water; it gives the broth a sweet, toasty depth.

35 min

Chinese Vegetarian

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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 min

Indian Curries

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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 min

Indian Curries

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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 min

Polish Breakfast & Brunch

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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 min

Indian Breakfast & Brunch

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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 min

Thai Vegetarian

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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 min

Indian Vegetarian

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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 African Curries

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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 min

Persian Breakfast & Brunch

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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 min

French Snacks & Starters

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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 min

Ghanaian Snacks & Starters

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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 min

Polish Chutneys & Dips

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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 min

Japanese Salads

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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 min

Mexican Breakfast & Brunch

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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 min

Indian Breakfast & Brunch

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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 min

Bangladeshi Breakfast & Brunch

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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 min

Indian Curries

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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 min

Indonesian Snacks & Starters

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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 min

Bangladeshi Curries

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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 min

Brazilian Breakfast & Brunch

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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 min

Indian Curries

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AkuriSpiced scrambled eggs

35 min

Indian Breads & 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 min

Chinese Snacks & Starters

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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 min

Persian Soups

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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.

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 min

Indian Vegetarian

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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 min

Hungarian Vegetarian

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Moong dal chillaMoong dal pancakes

In Jaipur and Lucknow, a stack of chilla is what a careful mother makes on a weekday morning when she wants the family to eat protein before school: soaked yellow moong dal is ground with ginger and chilli into a pale batter and spread thin on a hot tawa. They come off golden at the edges and soft in the middle, and are eaten with green chutney or rolled around a spoon of grated paneer for those who want more. Two chillas make a portion of about 205 kcal. The dal needs 3 hours of soaking first (or overnight), which is not counted in the times. The most common mistake is a batter that is too thick: it should pour like single cream, or the chilla turns stodgy and cracks when you flip it. Chef's tip: wipe the tawa with a halved onion dipped in oil between chillas; it greases the pan lightly and stops sticking without extra oil.

25 min

Indian Breakfast & Brunch

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BabfőzelékCreamy white bean stew

Babfőzelék is what cooks in Transdanubian villages and Budapest workers' canteens make on Fridays and in the cold months, when a pot of dried white beans goes a long way. The beans cook until creamy, then a garlicky paprika roux thickens the liquid, a splash of vinegar makes it tangy and sour cream softens it. Served with a slice of rye bread or a fried egg, it is a hearty meat-free lunch. Soak the beans overnight first. Chef's tip: add salt and vinegar only once the beans are completely soft; acid in the pot early keeps the skins tough no matter how long they cook.

90 min

Hungarian Vegetarian

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Sukhe kale chaneDry black chickpeas

On Ashtami, the eighth day of Navratri, homes in Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh invite young girls for kanjak puja and feed them puri, sooji halwa and these dry black chickpeas, cooked without onion or garlic. The kala chana are boiled until tender and then tossed in a hot, dry masala of cumin, coriander, amchur and green chilli until every chickpea is coated and the edges catch slightly. Outside festivals they make a protein-rich side or a snack with a squeeze of lemon. A portion is about 240 kcal. Soak the chickpeas overnight first. The common mistake is undercooking them: black chickpeas need longer than white, and should squash easily between two fingers. Chef's tip: keep 3 tablespoons of the cooking water and add it with the spices; it helps the masala cling to each chickpea.

45 min

Indian Sides

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Awara

Evening hawkers in Kano, Zaria and Kaduna fry awara in wide pans of oil and sell it in paper with a sprinkle of yaji, the peanut-chilli suya spice: little cubes of homemade soybean curd that puff and turn golden outside and stay soft and tofu-like inside. It came to the North with soybean farming and is now a cheap, high-protein street snack, especially after maghrib prayers. Contains soy and peanut (in the yaji). The mistake is skipping the long boil: raw soy milk must simmer for a good 15 minutes to be digestible and taste sweet, not beany. Chef's tip: press the curd under a heavy pan for at least 20 minutes; firm awara cuts cleanly and doesn't spit in the oil.

560 min

Nigerian Snacks & Starters

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Misir alichaMild red lentil stew

Not everyone at the table in Gondar or Addis wants berbere, so the fasting platter almost always has a gentle yellow wat beside the red one: misir alicha, split red lentils cooked down with dry-sweated onion, garlic, ginger and turmeric until creamy. It is soft, warming and easy on children and anyone who finds misir wat too hot. The common mistake is letting the lentils cook to a thin soup; simmer uncovered at the end until it mounds on a spoon and sits on injera without running. Chef's tip: a sliced green chilli and a pinch of ground ajwain (netch azmud) stirred in at the end lift it without adding much heat.

35 min

Ethiopian Curries

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NifroBoiled wheat and chickpeas

When a baby cuts a first tooth, Ethiopian families celebrate with tirs mastecha, and the dish at the centre is nifro: a big pot of whole wheat berries, chickpeas and fava beans boiled with salt and handed round warm in cupped hands or small bowls. It also turns up at funerals, saints' day gatherings and long coffee ceremonies in Gondar and Addis, chewy, nutty and plain in the best way. The common mistake is boiling everything together from dry, so the wheat bursts while the fava stay hard; soak them all overnight and add the wheat later. Fava beans are unsafe for anyone with G6PD deficiency (favism), so leave them out if in doubt. Not gluten free. Chef's tip: once drained, toss the warm nifro in a dry pan for two minutes; it dries the surface and makes the salt and a pinch of berbere cling.

795 min

Ethiopian Snacks & Starters

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Shorbet ads (Egyptian lentil soup)

Cairo cafés ladle shorbet ads all winter long, and at home it is the soup that opens the iftar meal in Ramadan, served smooth and golden with lemon wedges and crisp bread. Split yellow lentils are cooked with carrot, onion, tomato and cumin, then blended until velvety, with no cream at all. Serve it with lemon to squeeze and toasted pitta (leave the bread out for gluten free). The common mistake is under-cooking the lentils so the soup turns grainy; they should fall apart before you blend. Chef's tip: finish each bowl with a few drops of cumin-fried oil; it smells like an Egyptian kitchen in January.

45 min

Egyptian Soups

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Daal chanaChickpea dal

A bowl of daal chana with a fiery tarka poured over at the table is one of the most ordered plates at dhabas from Multan to Rawalpindi, and in many homes it is the Thursday dinner, eaten with roti, raw onion and pickle. The split chickpeas cook until soft but still hold their shape in a thick, yellow, gently spiced base, and then the tarka of fried onion, garlic, cumin and whole red chilli in ghee crackles over the top. The mistake is serving it before the dal is truly soft; chana dal takes longer than you think, so test a grain by squeezing it. Contains milk (ghee); use oil for a vegan version. Chef's tip: pour the tarka over at the very last moment so it hisses, and cover the pot for a minute to trap the smoky aroma.

Few dishes say Good Friday in Mexico City, Hidalgo and Tlaxcala like a bowl of thick, golden caldo de habas, made from peeled dried fava beans cooked down until they almost dissolve. Tomato, onion and garlic give it body, cumin warmth and a handful of fresh mint lifts it, with lime and a pinch of chilli flakes at the table. Cheap, filling and protein-rich, it suits any cold weekday. Look for yellow, peeled split favas at Latin or Middle Eastern shops. Chef's tip: add the mint only at the very end, or it turns grey and loses its scent.

65 min

Mexican Soups

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Đậu hũ chiên sả ớt (lemongrass chilli tofu)

Saigon's chay restaurants, the ones tucked beside pagodas that fill up on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month, nearly always have a plate of this on the table: golden tofu cubes buried under a crunchy, fragrant rubble of fried lemongrass and red chilli. The tofu stays soft inside, the lemongrass turns nutty and crisp, and a splash of tamari with a little sugar glazes everything. Eat it with steamed jasmine rice, sliced cucumber and a bowl of clear vegetable soup. Many chay cooks skip garlic and shallot, so this version leaves them out. Chef's tip: mince the lemongrass really finely and fry it on its own until golden; coarse chunks or lemongrass added with the tofu stay woody and chewy.

Just after the fireworks at midnight on 31 December, Brazilians from Copacabana to small towns in the interior eat a spoonful of lentils, because the little coin-shaped seeds are said to bring money in the year ahead. Many families keep a pot of this warm stew of lentils, tomato, carrot and smoked paprika on the stove all through the Réveillon party. It also makes a good weekday supper with rice. Chef's tip: keep it at a gentle simmer so the lentils hold their shape, as they are meant to look like little coins.

50 min

Brazilian Curries

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Zuppa di cicerchieGrass pea soup

Cicerchie (grass peas) are an ancient legume that looks like a small, squared-off chickpea, grown on the hills of the Marche and Umbria around Serra de' Conti and Gubbio. They make a thick, nutty, rustic winter soup cooked with garlic, tomato and rosemary, served over toasted bread with a thread of new olive oil. Grass peas contain a natural toxin when eaten in large amounts, so always soak them for at least 24 hours, changing the water a few times, and enjoy them as an occasional dish. Chef's tip: change the soaking water at least three times; it removes most of the toxin and makes the peas easier to digest.

Mito, the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, is Japan's natto town, but this sticky, pungent breakfast is eaten in homes all over eastern Japan, usually before work with miso soup and a pickle. The fermented soybeans are beaten until they form long silky strings, seasoned, and spooned over steaming rice; they are packed with plant protein. Most packs come with a little sauce sachet that contains bonito fish stock, so for a vegan bowl leave it out and season with soy sauce as here. The common mistake is pouring in the sauce before you stir: whip the beans first, or they never get properly frothy. Chef's tip: stir about 50 times until the strings turn white and fluffy, then season and stir 10 more.

5 min

Japanese Breakfast & Brunch

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Lentilles de CilaosMountain lentils

High in the volcanic cirque of Cilaos, farmers grow tiny brown-green lentils on terraces, and the whole island prizes them: they hold their shape, taste nutty and mineral, and turn up beside every kind of cari, with a mound of white rice and a spoon of rougail. The village holds a lentil festival each autumn, and a pot of lentilles is a fixture of family Sunday lunches across Réunion. Outside the island, use small French green or brown lentils, which behave in the same way. Don't let them boil hard; a fierce boil splits the skins and turns the pot into mush, so keep it at a gentle bubble. Chef's tip: take the time to brown the onions properly before the lentils go in, because that slow, sweet browning is what gives the sauce its depth.

60 min

Mauritian Curries

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Paneer parathaPaneer-stuffed flatbread

Dhaba breakfasts on the Grand Trunk Road out of Amritsar always have paneer paratha on the board, and it's a lunchbox favourite in Delhi homes because it stays soft and filling until the afternoon. The filling is fresh paneer grated fine, mixed with green chilli, lots of coriander, ajwain, a little onion and a pinch of amchur. Rolled inside atta dough and cooked with ghee, it becomes a mild, milky, protein-rich paratha with crisp brown patches. Serve with dahi, mint chutney or mango achar, and a cup of adrak chai. Use homemade or shop paneer; both are made with lemon or vinegar, not rennet. Common mistake: crumbling the paneer roughly; big lumps poke through the dough and tear it. Grate it finely or mash it with the heel of your hand. Chef's tip: if your paneer is very fresh and moist, add a tablespoon of atta to the filling to bind it, and roll these slightly thicker than a gobi paratha.

40 min

Indian Breads & Parathas

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Arroz e feijão amassadinho for babiesMashed rice and beans for babies

Rice and beans are on almost every lunch plate in Brazil, from São Paulo office canteens to family tables in Minas Gerais, and babies join in from about eight or nine months with an amassadinho, a soft fork-mashed version. The beans are simmered with a little onion, garlic and bay leaf for flavour instead of salt, bacon or stock cubes, then mashed into soft rice with their thick broth. It is creamy, earthy and filling. It is free of the major allergens: no milk, egg, gluten, nuts, soya, sesame or fish. Chef's tip: mash the beans well and press them through a sieve the first few times; the skins are the part babies find hardest.

50 min

Brazilian Rice & Grains

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Kanji payar for toddlersRed rice gruel for toddlers

Kanji and payar, rice gruel with a dry dish of green gram, is Kerala's oldest comfort meal, eaten for dinner in homes across Kottayam and Palakkad and at simple roadside kanji kadas on rainy monsoon evenings. For toddlers from 12 months the matta rice is cooked until it bursts into a creamy porridge, and the cherupayar is steamed soft and finished with a little coconut and cumin instead of chilli, then the two are mashed together. Skip the usual pickle and pappadam. It contains coconut; there is no milk, gluten, egg, nuts or soya, and it is vegan. Chef's tip: soak both the rice and the gram overnight; it halves the cooking time and makes them far softer.

55 min

Indian Rice & Grains

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Lito (sarbottam pitho porridge)

Ask a mother in Kathmandu, Pokhara or a hill village what her baby eats after the pasni rice-feeding ceremony, and the answer is often lito: porridge made from sarbottam pitho, a 'super flour' that families roast and grind themselves from two parts soybean to one part each of maize and wheat. Cooked with water it becomes a smooth, nutty, toast-coloured porridge with more protein than plain rice. For babies there is no salt, sugar, jaggery, honey or ghee needed. It contains soya and wheat (gluten). Chef's tip: roast the grains separately, each until it smells nutty and cracks between your teeth, then grind and sieve; the beans need longest.

12 min

Nepali Breakfast & Brunch

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Iron eggsBraised dried quail eggs

Iron eggs were invented in the 1970s at a noodle stall by the river in Tamsui, at the end of Taipei's red MRT line, when a cook kept re-braising unsold eggs until they shrank, darkened and turned chewy. Now every shop along Tamsui Old Street sells them in vacuum packs: tiny quail eggs and small hen's eggs, black as liquorice, with a firm, springy bite and a deep soy, five-spice and caramel flavour. Taiwanese families buy them as a snack for the train home. The process takes most of a day but very little work. Contains egg and soya. Chef's tip: dry the eggs under a fan between braises; the dried surface absorbs the sauce each time and builds the 'iron' skin.

600 min

Taiwanese Snacks & Starters

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Loroco con huevoScrambled eggs with loroco

Loroco is a climbing vine whose fragrant flower buds Salvadorans love, best known inside pupusas, and in San Salvador and the countryside it is also scrambled with eggs for breakfast during the rainy season, from June to October, when the buds are in season. The buds taste green, floral and a little like asparagus and artichoke, softened with onion and tomato and set into soft eggs. Serve with corn tortillas and a spoon of refried beans or avocado. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 210 kcal and 6 g carbohydrate per portion without tortillas. The usual mistake is cooking the eggs on high heat, which makes them dry and rubbery. Frozen or jarred loroco works well; rinse jarred loroco first. If you're cooking for anyone pregnant, a young child or anyone with a weakened immune system, cook the eggs until fully set. Chef's tip: soften the loroco with the onion first so its flavour spreads through the eggs.

15 minCentral American Breakfast & Brunch

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KamandeBrown lentil stew

Kamande is a weekday staple in Nairobi homes and small hotelis (cafés), served at lunch or supper with chapati, rice or ugali and a side of sukuma wiki greens. Brown lentils are simmered until tender, then cooked into a thick, savoury stew of onion, tomato, garlic, ginger and a touch of curry powder, finished with fresh coriander. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 300 kcal and 38 g carbohydrate per portion; brown rice or extra greens on the side suit a lighter plate. The usual mistake is boiling the lentils to mush before adding the tomato base; they should still hold their shape. Chef's tip: cook the onions low and slow until soft and golden before the tomatoes go in, which gives the stew its natural sweetness.

50 minEast African Curries

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Tortilla de acelgaSwiss chard omelette

In Montevideo and Buenos Aires, tortilla de acelga is a homely supper or picnic dish, cut into wedges for a weekday dinner or packed for a Sunday at the beach, hot or cold. Plenty of chard is cooked down with onion and garlic, then bound with eggs into a thick, green, juicy omelette that is flipped in the pan like a Spanish tortilla. Serve it with a tomato salad. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 190 kcal and 7 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is leaving the chard wet: squeeze it well, or the tortilla weeps and won't set. If you're cooking for anyone pregnant, a young child or anyone with a weakened immune system, cook it until fully set in the middle. Chef's tip: cook it on a low heat with a lid on for the first side; it sets through without burning the base.

Leshta chorba is cooked in Bulgarian homes all winter, and it is the soup of choice on fasting days before Christmas and Easter, when families eat no meat or dairy. Brown lentils simmer with onion, carrot and tomato, coloured with sweet paprika and scented with chubritsa (summer savory), the herb that makes Bulgarian cooking taste like itself. It is eaten with a slice of wholemeal bread and a few pickles. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 280 kcal and 34 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is frying the paprika in very hot oil: it burns and turns bitter in a few seconds, so take the pan off the heat first. Chef's tip: a splash of vinegar stirred into each bowl at the table brightens the earthy lentils.

50 min

Bulgarian Soups

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UmngqushoSamp and sugar beans

Xhosa households from Mthatha to Qunu put a pot of umngqusho on the fire on Sunday morning and let it murmur for hours while the rest of lunch comes together; Nelson Mandela famously named it his favourite meal. Crushed maize kernels and speckled sugar beans cook down together into something halfway between a risotto and a bean stew, chewy and creamy at once, sweet with slowly softened onion and thickened by potato that collapses into the pot. Eat it as it is with a spoon of chakalaka, or next to cabbage and a tomato relish. The usual mistake is skipping the overnight soak: unsoaked samp stays chalky in the centre no matter how long you cook it. Chef's tip: hold back the salt until the samp is soft, then season generously, because this dish swallows salt.

240 min

South African Curries

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LapenaPigeon peas in sesame paste

Lapena comes out for Christmas, weddings and the days when relatives arrive in Gulu from Kampala: dried pigeon peas boiled until soft, then cooked slowly in roasted sesame paste until thick, earthy and nutty, with a faint bitterness from the sesame that balances the sweetness of the peas. Some families mash it smooth, others keep the peas whole; both are eaten with kwon millet bread, rice or boiled cassava. Dried pigeon peas are sold as toor or arhar (whole, not split) in Indian grocers. The common mistake is adding salt before the peas are tender, which keeps the skins tough. Chef's tip: if you can only find light tahini, toast it in a dry pan for a minute or two until it darkens to get closer to Acholi sesame paste.

120 minEast African Curries

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IbiharageFried beans with onion

Beans are eaten almost every day in Rwanda and Burundi, and ibiharage is the version that feels like a treat: beans boiled until creamy, drained, then fried with plenty of onion and garlic in oil, traditionally red palm oil, until they are glossy and lightly crisp at the edges. Palm oil gives an orange colour and a deep, almost savoury-floral flavour; vegetable oil gives a cleaner taste. A Kigali lunch canteen will put it next to fried plantain, rice and a cabbage salad. People often fry the beans too wet, so they steam instead of taking colour; drain them well first. Chef's tip: save a ladle of the bean cooking water and add a splash at the end to make the beans silky without washing off the fried onion.

90 minEast African Curries

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Blote billetjes in het grasWhite and green beans with butter

Dutch grandmothers named this dish 'bare bottoms in the grass' for the pale white beans peeping out between the green ones, and it is a summer weekday supper all over the Netherlands, when runner and French beans are cheap. Green beans and cooked white beans are simmered together, then stirred with butter, a little stock and plenty of pepper, often with boiled potatoes on the side. Many families add bacon or a smoked sausage; this version keeps it vegetarian, so serve it with a fried egg or a vegetarian sausage if you want more. The usual mistake is boiling the green beans until grey: they should stay bright with a slight bite. Chef's tip: a splash of the bean-cooking liquid stirred in with the butter makes a glossy little sauce that clings to everything.

30 min

Dutch Vegetarian

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Rántott sajtFried breaded cheese

Rántott sajt is the Hungarian answer to a hungry evening: thick slabs of mild trappista or Edam, breaded twice and fried until the crumb is golden and the inside just begins to ooze. In Budapest it is sold at the büfé stands of the Nagyvásárcsarnok (the Great Market Hall), at the Lehel market and at lángos counters by Lake Balaton, almost always with chips and a dollop of tartar sauce. Traditional trappista and Edam are often made with animal rennet, so choose a cheese labelled vegetarian (made with microbial rennet) if that matters to you. Chef's tip: freeze the breaded slices for 10 minutes before frying, so the crust sets before the cheese melts.

25 min

Hungarian Vegetarian

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FirindaMashed bean stew

Firinda comes from Ankole and Kigezi in western Uganda, where beans are the backbone of daily meals, eaten at lunch with matooke, millet bread or sweet potatoes. Red beans are boiled until completely soft, then mashed and cooked down with fried onion and tomato into a thick, smooth stew that hugs whatever is beside it. The usual mistake is skimping on the cooking: firinda only gets its creamy texture when the beans are really soft, and dried red beans must be boiled hard for 10 minutes before the long simmer. Pressure cooker option: after the hard boil, cook for 25 minutes at pressure. Chef's tip: mash only two-thirds of the beans and leave the rest whole, for a stew that is creamy but still has some bite.

100 minEast African Curries

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Paneer tikka

Paneer tikka is the vegetarian star of Punjabi dhabas and Delhi wedding buffets, and at home it is a weekend starter cooked under the grill or in a hot oven. Thick cubes of paneer, pepper and onion are coated in hung yogurt with ginger, garlic, chaat masala and roasted gram flour, then charred at high heat so the edges blister while the centre stays soft. Paneer set at home with lemon juice or vinegar uses no rennet; if you buy it, check the label. Serve with mint chutney and a big salad instead of naan. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 330 kcal and 10 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is a runny marinade, which slides off; hang the yogurt for 20 minutes first. Chef's tip: marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, and don't skip a final blast of high heat for the charred spots.

35 min

Indian Snacks & Starters

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Qorma-e-lubia is everyday Afghan home cooking, made in Kabul and Herat kitchens for weekday lunches and sold from big pots at roadside eating houses with fresh naan. Red kidney beans simmer slowly in a sauce built on deeply browned onion, tomato, garlic and ground coriander until it turns rich and brick-red. Eat it with naan, or with plain challow rice and a salad of tomato and onion. The usual mistake is putting dried kidney beans straight into a slow cooker: they must be boiled hard for 10 minutes first, or they can make you ill. Slow-cooker option: after browning and the hard boil, cook on low for 8 hours. Chef's tip: brown the onions until properly dark, about 15 minutes; that colour is where the stew's depth comes from.

Ugba, the long, thin slices of fermented African oil bean, are a favourite of Igboland in south-east Nigeria, eaten at village meetings, weddings and as an evening snack with cold drinks in Enugu and Owerri. The slices have a nutty, savoury, slightly funky flavour, and here they are tossed with diced garden eggs, shredded garden-egg leaves, onion, fresh pepper and a little red palm oil. Many cooks add ground crayfish and stockfish; this version is vegan. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is high in fibre and plant protein: about 220 kcal and 10 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is not rinsing shop-bought ugba, which can taste too sharp and fermented; rinse it in warm water first. Chef's tip: warm the palm oil just enough to make it runny, never hot, so it coats every slice.

22 min

Nigerian Salads

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In Mauritius, gros pois (butter beans) are a pantry staple, and kari gros pois is cooked in Creole and Indo-Mauritian homes alike for weekday lunches and Friday meat-free meals. The beans simmer in a curry of onion, tomato, garlic and ginger, flavoured with curry powder, fresh thyme and curry leaves, so it tastes of both India and the island's French side. It is served with rice, farata flatbreads and a tomato or chilli chutney. The usual mistake is frying the curry powder on high heat; it scorches in seconds and turns bitter. Pressure cooker option: cook the soaked beans for 15 minutes at pressure. Chef's tip: crush a few beans into the sauce at the end, which thickens it without any flour.

85 min

Mauritian Curries

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Mseto, meaning 'mixture', is a staple of the Swahili coast from Mombasa to Lamu and Zanzibar, often eaten at lunch or for breaking the fast in Ramadan. Rice and green grams (whole mung beans) cook together in coconut milk with onion and a little turmeric until soft, fluffy and gently creamy. It is served beside a vegetable or bean curry, a kachumbari salad and a squeeze of lime. The usual mistake is adding the rice before the green grams are tender, so the rice turns mushy while the beans stay hard. Chef's tip: once the rice is in, cover the pot tightly and leave it on the lowest heat without lifting the lid, so the rice steams evenly.

55 minEast African Rice & Grains

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In Georgian homes from Tbilisi to Kakheti, ispanakhi matsvnit is one of the quick dishes on a supra table and a weekday side all spring, when spinach is young and sweet. The spinach is wilted, squeezed and chopped, then folded into thick matsoni (Georgian set yoghurt) with crushed garlic, coriander and a little blue fenugreek, and served cool with bread, beans or grilled vegetables. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 110 kcal and 8 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is not squeezing the spinach hard enough, so water seeps into the yoghurt and makes it thin. Chef's tip: crush the garlic with a pinch of salt to a smooth paste so it spreads evenly through the yoghurt rather than hitting you in raw lumps.

15 min

Georgian Sides

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KajganaScrambled eggs with peppers

Kajgana is the everyday breakfast of Serbia and Montenegro, cooked in every home and kafana: eggs scrambled softly in a little fat, often with sweet peppers or onion, and finished with a spoon of kajmak, the rich clotted cream of the Balkans, or crumbled white cheese. It is eaten straight from the pan with warm bread. The mistake is high heat: the eggs seize into dry, rubbery lumps; a medium-low flame and constant gentle stirring give soft, creamy curds. Chef's tip: take the pan off the heat while the eggs still look slightly underdone, because they keep cooking in the hot pan for another minute.

13 minBalkan Breakfast & Brunch

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NjahiBlack beans mashed with banana

Kikuyu families in Kiambu, Murang'a and Nyeri cook a big pot of njahi for a woman who has just given birth, and visitors bring the beans as a gift; the dish is said to build strength and milk. The beans are small, glossy black lablab beans, simmered for a long time until creamy, then mashed with ripe bananas so the result is dark, soft and gently sweet against the savoury onion and tomato. Look for dried njahi at African grocers (sometimes labelled black dolichos or black lablab beans); black turtle beans are the closest swap and cook a little faster, but skipping the overnight soak is the classic error with either: unsoaked beans stay chalky even after hours. Eat it warm with a cup of tea, or as a main with greens. Chef's tip: choose bananas with brown freckles but still firm; overripe black ones make the mash taste like dessert.

150 minEast African Curries

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Pasta jajecznaEgg spread

In Poland pasta jajeczna is the everyday breakfast and kanapki spread, piled thickly on rye bread or a crusty roll and topped with radish slices, and it is always on the table at Easter breakfast. Hard-boiled eggs are chopped finely or mashed with mayonnaise, a little mustard and a lot of chives into a creamy, savoury spread. The common mistake is boiling the eggs too long: overcooked yolks turn grey-green and taste sulphurous, so stop at 10 minutes and chill them at once. Chef's tip: grate the eggs on the coarse side of a box grater instead of chopping; you get a fluffy, even spread in seconds without mashing it to paste.

18 min

Polish Breakfast & Brunch

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MucapataCoconut rice and cowpeas

Quelimane cooks have a gift for making rice taste rich without a scrap of meat, and mucapata proves it: rice and boiled cowpeas are cooked down in coconut milk until the grains swell, burst at the edges and bind into a soft, spoonable mass. It sits somewhere between a pilaf and a porridge, mild and faintly sweet from the coconut, with the beans giving it body and an earthy note. Families along the Zambezi delta serve it at lunch beside a tomato and onion sauce, greens cooked with peanuts, or a fiery dab of piri-piri. The usual mistake is adding the rice before the beans are properly soft; they never catch up once the coconut milk goes in. Chef's tip: stir it only now and then once the rice is in and keep the heat very low, so the bottom turns lightly golden rather than scorched.

60 minSouthern African Rice & Grains

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Lynyvi varenykyLazy curd dumplings

Lynyvi varenyky, 'lazy dumplings', are the Ukrainian weekday breakfast for families who love varenyky but have no time to fill them: the curd cheese goes into the dough itself, which is rolled into a log, sliced and boiled for a few minutes. They come out soft, tender and lightly sweet, finished with melted butter and a spoon of sour cream, sometimes with jam. The mistake is adding too much flour to make the dough easier to handle, which makes the dumplings heavy; the dough should stay soft and a little sticky. Chef's tip: dust your hands and board rather than the dough, and boil one test dumpling first; if it falls apart, add just one more tablespoon of flour.

27 min

Ukrainian Breakfast & Brunch

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Lubia pokhteSpiced pinto beans

On cold winter mornings in Tehran, steam rises from street carts selling lubia pokhte: pinto beans simmered with a pinch of salt until soft as butter, ladled into a cup with some of their cooking liquid and sprinkled with golpar, the citrusy ground seed of Persian hogweed, plus a squeeze of lemon. It is cheap, warming and filling. The mistake is salting the water at the start; add salt once the beans are tender or the skins stay tough. Chef's tip: skim the foam in the first 10 minutes and keep the beans at a lazy simmer, never a rolling boil, so they stay whole but creamy inside.

120 min

Persian Breakfast & Brunch

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KongjukSoybean and rice porridge

Kongjuk is the porridge Korean families make when they want something filling but plain: soaked soybeans ground into a milk with rice and cooked until it is thick, pale and creamy. It is a breakfast and a summer staple in the countryside, eaten with a little salt and some kimchi or radish on the side. The mistake to avoid is under-blending the beans: gritty bean skins make the porridge grainy, so blend long and fine, or sieve it. Stir often too, because soy milk catches on the bottom quickly. Chef's tip: skim off the loose skins after soaking by rubbing the beans between your palms under water; the porridge comes out silkier and whiter.

60 min

Korean Rice & Grains

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ÄggostEgg cheese

Äggost, egg cheese, belongs to the farm kitchens of Västergötland and Halland in west Sweden, where it is made for Christmas, Easter and midsummer tables and the leftovers become breakfast with cloudberry or lingonberry jam. Eggs and milk are heated until soft, sweet curds form, which are drained in a holed mould so they keep its pattern. It is creamy, mild and slightly sweet. The common mistake is rushing the heat: boiling the milk too hard makes rubbery curds, so keep it at a gentle simmer. Chef's tip: this version sets the curds with buttermilk, not rennet, so it is suitable for vegetarians; drain it overnight in the fridge for the firmest slice.

45 minScandinavian Breakfast & Brunch

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NdenguGreen gram stew

Lunchtime kibandas around Nairobi's Industrial Area ladle ndengu over rice or tear chapati into it, and office workers queue for it because it is cheap, filling and ready fast. Whole green grams (mung beans) are boiled until soft, then folded into an onion and tomato base with garlic, a little cumin and a splash of coconut milk, so the gravy is earthy, mellow and just thick enough to coat a spoon. Serve it with chapati, plain rice or ugali and a heap of kachumbari. The usual mistake is adding the tomatoes and salt before the grams are tender; acid and salt keep the skins tough, so cook the grams first. Chef's tip: mash a ladleful of the cooked grams against the pot before you add the coconut milk; it thickens the gravy without any flour.

60 minEast African Curries

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Mayai pasuaSplit eggs with kachumbari

Glass-boxed carts outside Nairobi's bars and matatu stages sell mayai pasua into the evening: a vendor splits a hard-boiled egg with a knife, packs the gap with fresh kachumbari and shakes over salt and chilli. It is a quick, protein-heavy snack that tastes cool and sharp from the onion, tomato and lime against the soft yolk. Make a plateful for a party or a packed lunch, and serve with a dash of chilli sauce. The mistake to avoid is a soft or jammy yolk; for street style the eggs must be fully hard-boiled so they split cleanly. Chef's tip: salt the chopped onion with the lime juice for 5 minutes before adding the tomato; it softens the raw bite the way the vendors' pre-mixed kachumbari does.

15 minEast African Snacks & Starters

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Kos ata curryJackfruit seed curry

During the jackfruit season, roughly April to July, Sri Lankan households save every seed, and kos ata curry is how they become a hearty weekday dish served with rice and greens. The seeds are boiled tender, peeled of their papery skin, then simmered in a dark roasted curry powder and coconut milk gravy until they taste like chestnuts in a spicy sauce. Serve with red rice and a sambol. The usual mistake is undercooking the seeds; they must be boiled until a fork goes in easily, or they stay hard and are hard to digest. A pressure cooker saves time: boil the seeds for 10 minutes on high. Chef's tip: crack each seed lightly with the flat of a knife before simmering so it soaks up the gravy.

50 min

Sri Lankan Curries

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Dombrés aux haricots rougesFlour dumplings in red beans

Dombrés are the small rolled flour dumplings that Guianese Creole cooks in Cayenne and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni drop into a pot of red kidney beans, so they swell and soak up the herb-scented sauce. In French Guiana and the Antilles the beans are often cooked with salted pork tail or smoked meat; this version leaves out the meat and uses smoked paprika, onion, chives, thyme and cloves for depth, making a hearty vegan dinner with rice. Dried kidney beans must be boiled hard for 10 minutes before simmering to destroy a natural toxin, so don't skip that step or cook them in a slow cooker from raw. Dumplings that fall apart are the usual problem: keep the dough firm and the pot at a gentle simmer once they go in. Chef's tip: roll each dombré between your palms into a small torpedo; that shape cooks evenly and holds together.

Across Punjab and north India, moong dal cheela is a weekday breakfast griddled to order, usually with green chilli, ginger and a pinch of ajwain. For babies from nine months the batter is just soaked yellow moong and grated carrot, cooked thin and soft and cut into strips that are easy to grab, ideal for baby-led eating alongside spoon food. They are tender, mildly sweet from the carrot and packed with plant protein. They are free of the major allergens: no milk, egg, gluten, nuts, soya, sesame or fish. Chef's tip: grind the batter to the thickness of double cream; thinner batter tears, thicker batter stays raw in the middle.

30 min

Indian Breakfast & Brunch

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Dubki kadhiUrad dal dumplings in curd curry

Dubki means a dip, and in this Chhattisgarhi kadhi the spiced urad dal batter is dropped raw straight into the simmering curd so the dumplings cook in the pot rather than in hot oil. It is the lighter, everyday cousin of pakora kadhi, served with rice at lunch across Durg and Raipur and at village feasts. The common mistake is dropping the batter into kadhi that is barely warm; the dumplings fall apart, so the kadhi must be at a lively simmer. Chef's tip: whisk the batter by hand for a full 3 minutes until a spoonful floats in water, and the dumplings will be airy, not dense.

290 min

Indian Curries

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