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WhatToEat.Today

Low-calorie recipes

Lighter recipes that are still filling and full of flavour. (764 recipes)

Sorakaya pulusuBottle gourd in tamarind gravy

Sorakaya pulusu is everyday Telugu home cooking from Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam, made on weekdays when there's a bottle gourd in the basket and the family wants something light and sour with rice. Soft pieces of gourd simmer in a thin tamarind broth balanced with a little jaggery, chilli and onion, thickened only lightly with rice flour, and finished with a mustard and fenugreek tempering. Mix it into hot rice with a spoon of ghee or eat it with a crisp vada. The usual mistake is overcooking the gourd to mush; it should be tender and translucent but still in pieces. Chef's tip: taste a raw slice of the gourd before cooking, and throw it away if it is bitter, because bitter bottle gourd should not be eaten.

35 minIndianCurriesVeganGluten free
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ThechwaniCrushed radish curry

Thechwani is a winter dish from the hill villages of Garhwal, Uttarakhand, cooked when the radishes are fat and sweet. Instead of chopping, the radish (or potato) is bashed with a stone or pestle so it cracks into rough pieces with lots of surface, then simmered in an iron kadhai with mustard oil, jakhya seeds and a little tomato. The broken pieces soak up the spices, and the iron pot darkens the gravy. It is eaten with rice or mandua (finger-millet) roti. Jakhya, a crunchy wild seed, is sold in hill stores; cumin is the swap. The usual mistake is slicing the radish neatly with a knife, which keeps the spices on the outside. Chef's tip: add the radish greens, finely chopped, in the last 5 minutes for colour and a peppery bite.

40 minIndianVegetarianVeganGluten free
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Mâncare de dovleceiStewed courgettes

In Romanian homes, from Moldova to Oltenia, mâncare de dovlecei is the summer stew made when the garden is full of courgettes, and it fills a pot on fasting days when Orthodox families eat no animal products. Courgettes are cooked down slowly with onion, peppers and tomato until soft and sweet, then finished with a fistful of dill and garlic. Eat it warm or at room temperature with bread or a slice of mămăligă. The usual mistake is adding too much liquid: courgettes release their own water, and a watery pot loses its flavour. Chef's tip: let the onion and pepper soften properly before the courgettes go in; that sweetness is what seasons the whole stew.

40 minRomanianVegetarianVeganGluten free
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Jwano ko jholCarom seed broth

Jwano ko jhol is the soup Nepali families make for a mother in the weeks after a birth, and for anyone in the house who has a cold during the Kathmandu winter. Carom seeds are fried in ghee with a spoon of flour until nutty, then whisked with water, garlic and ginger into a thin, peppery, slightly thyme-like broth that is sipped hot from a bowl or poured over rice. The usual mistake is burning the jwano: it turns bitter in seconds, so take it off the heat as soon as it darkens a shade. Chef's tip: whisk the water in a little at a time, as with gravy, so the flour never forms lumps.

25 minNepaliSoups
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Ou tenga dalMasoor dal with elephant apple

Assamese cooks love a sour note, and ou tenga dal is the everyday lentil dish of Upper Assam's homes in the monsoon and autumn, when elephant apples (ou tenga) fall from the trees. Split masoor is boiled thin with turmeric and slices of the hard, tart fruit, then tempered with mustard oil, panch phoron and garlic, so it tastes bright, fruity and comforting. Serve with rice, or with a millet roti and a green vegetable for a lower-GI plate. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 190 kcal and 26 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is adding the fruit too late, so its sourness never comes out; it must cook with the lentils from the start. If you can't find it, use a slice of green mango or 1 tsp tamarind. Chef's tip: bruise the ou tenga slices with a pestle so they release their juice.

35 minIndianCurriesVeganGluten free
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Tara chiriCod and tofu hot pot

Tara chiri is a winter hot pot from all over Japan, cooked at the table on cold nights in December and January when Pacific cod is at its fattest and cheapest. The broth is only kombu and water, so the clean taste of the fish comes through; cod, tofu, napa cabbage, leek and mushrooms poach gently, and each mouthful is dipped into citrusy ponzu with grated daikon and chilli. Suitable as part of a balanced diet: lean protein and plenty of vegetables, with no rice needed. About 260 kcal and 12 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is boiling the fish hard, which breaks it into flakes in the pot; it should poach just below a simmer. Chef's tip: pour boiling water over the cod pieces and rinse them in cold water first (shimofuri); it removes any fishy smell and keeps the broth clear.

35 minJapaneseFish
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Iwashi no tsumire jiruSardine dumpling soup

Along the coasts of Chiba and Kanagawa, where sardines are landed in huge numbers in autumn, cooks chop them by hand into tsumire (fish dumplings) and drop them into a light dashi with daikon and carrot. It is an everyday supper soup, warming and very savoury, eaten with rice and pickles. Suitable as part of a balanced diet: sardines are rich in protein and omega-3 fats, and the soup is low in starch. About 220 kcal and 9 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is pureeing the sardines smooth in a processor, which makes the dumplings rubbery; chop with a knife, leaving a little texture. Chef's tip: add a teaspoon of miso and plenty of ginger to the fish paste; it seasons it and hides any strong fishiness.

40 minJapaneseSoups
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Ojingeo sukhoeBlanched squid with chilli sauce

Ojingeo sukhoe is a summer favourite in the fishing towns of Gangwon and on Ulleungdo island, where squid are landed overnight and served at home and in harbour restaurants within hours. The squid is scored, blanched for barely a minute so it stays tender, sliced into rings and eaten with crisp cucumber, lettuce and chogochujang, a tangy chilli-vinegar sauce. Suitable as part of a balanced diet: lean protein and fresh vegetables. About 160 kcal and 10 g carbohydrate per portion; the teaspoon of sugar in the sauce is optional, or use a sweetener. The usual mistake is overcooking: squid goes from tender to rubbery after about 90 seconds. Chef's tip: plunge it into iced water the moment it curls, so the cooking stops instantly.

15 minKoreanFish
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Pucuk paku goreng belacanStir-fried fern shoots with shrimp paste

In Sabah, Sarawak and the kampungs of the Malay Peninsula, curly young pucuk paku (vegetable fern) are picked from riverbanks and sold in bundles at every tamu and pasar, and this fiery stir-fry with belacan appears at lunch with rice and fish almost every day. The fronds stay crunchy and green, coated in a punchy paste of shallots, garlic, chilli and toasted shrimp paste. Suitable as part of a balanced diet: leafy greens with no starch. About 110 kcal and 8 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is undercooking: fern shoots should always be blanched or cooked through, never eaten raw. Fiddlehead ferns or water spinach can stand in. Chef's tip: toast the belacan in a dry pan until it crumbles and smells strongly, then open a window; this is what gives the dish its depth.

18 minMalaysianSidesGluten freeSpicy
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Pathola currySnake gourd coconut curry

Pathola curry is a quick, gentle white curry from everyday Sri Lankan rice-and-curry lunches, especially loved in the south where snake gourd grows on trellises behind most houses. Thin half-moons of gourd simmer for a few minutes in coconut milk with turmeric, green chilli, curry leaves and a pinch of fenugreek, so they stay pale green, soft and juicy. Serve it with rice, dal and a fiery sambol. The usual mistake is overcooking, which turns the gourd watery and grey; pull it off as soon as it is translucent. Chef's tip: scrape the soft white pith and seeds out with a spoon; they water the curry down.

25 minSri LankanCurriesVeganGluten free
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SagetSpider plant greens in soured milk

Spider plant, saget to the Kalenjin and sagaa in Swahili, grows in every kitchen garden around Eldoret and Kericho, and its slightly bitter, peppery leaves are boiled and then softened with mursik or cream to go with ugali. The result is tender, dark greens in a tangy, creamy sauce, bitter in a pleasant way like rapini. Look for fresh or frozen spider-plant leaves at African grocers (sometimes sold as African cabbage or cleome); don't pick wild plants, and if you can't find them, use spinach with a handful of kale or mustard greens for the bite. Letting the milk boil hard is where people slip: it curdles into grainy bits, so add it over a low heat. Chef's tip: some homesteads cook saget the day before and leave it overnight in its milk; it mellows and tastes even better reheated gently.

40 minEast AfricanSidesGluten free
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MrendaJute mallow greens

Luhya grandmothers in Kakamega and Bungoma say mrenda slides the ugali down, and they mean it: jute mallow leaves, cooked with a little soda, turn deliberately slippery and silky, a texture Western Kenya loves. The flavour is mild and grassy, lifted here with onion and tomato, and the greens are often mixed with cowpea leaves or eaten beside fish. Fresh jute mallow can be hard to find, but frozen chopped leaves sold as molokhia in Middle Eastern and African shops work perfectly. The traditional alkali is a lye filtered from ash; bicarbonate of soda stands in, and heaping it in is the mistake that leaves a soapy taste, so keep to a pinch. Chef's tip: stir with a wooden whisk or a fork in one direction as it cooks; Luhya cooks beat it this way to make the sauce smooth.

23 minEast AfricanSidesVeganGluten free
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ChibwabwaPumpkin leaves with groundnuts

From December to March, when pumpkin vines sprawl over every compound fence in Lusaka and the Copperbelt, chibwabwa is on the table almost daily as a relish for nshima. The tender leaves and shoots are stripped of their hairy outer fibres, cooked down until silky and finished with tomato, onion and freshly pounded groundnuts, which thicken the juices into a creamy, nutty sauce. The taste is green and mildly sweet, closer to young spinach than to pumpkin itself. Look for pumpkin leaves at African or South Asian grocers; spinach mixed with a little chard is a fair stand-in. Skipping the peeling is the mistake people make, and it leaves the stems stringy and prickly. Chef's tip: add the groundnut powder only at the end and simmer it gently, or it sinks and scorches.

35 minSouthern AfricanSidesVeganGluten free
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KalembulaSweet potato leaves with groundnuts

Kalembula grows wherever there is a patch of sweet potato, so it is as common in Eastern Province villages as it is in the backyard gardens of Kitwe, and it is usually picked minutes before it is cooked. The heart-shaped leaves are softer than pumpkin leaves and need no peeling; they wilt into a smooth, slightly mucilaginous relish with a pleasant, faintly bitter edge. Here the onion and tomato are fried first into a sweet base, the leaves go in after, and groundnut powder enriches the pot at the finish. Serve beside nshima and beans, or with fried kapenta for the non-vegetarians in the house. Overcooking turns it olive-drab and mushy, so stop as soon as the leaves are tender. Chef's tip: shred the leaves very finely, almost like a chiffonade, so they cook in minutes and stay green.

30 minSouthern AfricanSidesVeganGluten free
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Bouillon brèdeGreens broth

Ask a Mauritian what they eat when they are tired or under the weather and the answer is often a bowl of bouillon brède: a clear, gingery broth with soft greens, poured over plain rice next to a fried fish or a dish of lentils. The greens change with the market, from petsai (Chinese leaves) to watercress, pak choi or the leaves of the chayote vine, and the broth is never thickened, so it stays clean and almost sweet. It is done in under twenty minutes, which is why it turns up on so many weeknight tables from Rose-Hill to Mahébourg. People often boil the greens until they turn khaki and stringy; add them at the end and stop as soon as the stems are just tender. Chef's tip: crush the garlic and ginger, don't chop them, and fry them for just a minute so the broth smells warm without turning brown.

20 minMauritianSoupsVeganGluten free
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KundeCowpea leaves with peanut paste

Farms around Kisumu and Siaya grow cowpeas for the beans, but the young leaves are picked all season and sold in bundles at roadside stalls for an everyday village vegetable. Cooked down with onion and tomato, the leaves are soft with a gentle, almost green-bean flavour, and a spoon of peanut paste stirred through at the end makes the sauce nutty and creamy. Find cowpea leaves fresh or frozen at African grocers, or use young spinach with a few pea shoots, and serve with ugali, rice or boiled sweet potatoes. Adding the peanut paste too early and leaving it to boil is the usual pitfall: it catches and tastes scorched. Chef's tip: loosen the peanut paste with a few spoons of hot cooking liquid before stirring it in, so it melts smoothly instead of clumping.

30 minEast AfricanSidesVeganGluten free
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Ragi ambaliFinger millet porridge drink

Across rural Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, farm workers drink a big glass of ragi ambali in the early morning before the summer heat, and clay pots of it are sold at roadside stalls in April and May. Finger-millet flour is cooked into a thick paste, left overnight to ferment lightly, then thinned with buttermilk and stirred with raw onion, green chilli and curry leaves into a cool, tangy, savoury drink. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 140 kcal and 22 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is pouring the ragi flour straight into boiling water, which makes lumps; mix it with cold water first. Chef's tip: cook the paste until it turns glossy and darker, about 8 minutes; undercooked ragi tastes raw and floury.

15 minIndianDrinksGluten free
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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 minIndianSnacks & StartersGluten free
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Xiaocong ban doufuCold tofu with spring onion

Xiaocong ban doufu is a northern Chinese home dish, especially popular in Beijing and Shandong on hot summer evenings, so simple that it has given Chinese a proverb about being clear as 'green onion and white tofu'. Soft tofu is blanched, cooled, cut into cubes and tossed with a heap of chopped spring onion, sesame oil and a little salt, so it is cool, silky and fresh. Serve it beside stir-fried vegetables and a little rice or a wholewheat bun. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 120 kcal and 3 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is stirring hard so the tofu breaks into crumbs; fold it gently with a spoon. Chef's tip: blanch the tofu in salted water for a minute, which firms it up and takes away the raw beany taste.

10 minChineseSaladsVeganGluten free
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Suan rong xilanhuaGarlic broccoli

Garlic broccoli is on the menu of almost every Chinese home kitchen and family restaurant, from Guangzhou to Shanghai, as the quick green dish at a weekday dinner. The florets are blanched just until bright, then tossed in a hot wok with a big spoon of minced garlic and a splash of water, so they stay crisp, glossy and full of garlic flavour. Serve with tofu, fish or eggs and a modest portion of rice. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 90 kcal and 8 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is adding the garlic to very hot oil before the broccoli, where it burns and turns bitter. Chef's tip: add a few drops of oil to the blanching water; it keeps the broccoli shiny and green.

15 minChineseSidesVeganGluten free
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Laohu caiTiger salad

Laohu cai, 'tiger salad', is the fierce raw salad of China's north-east, served in Shenyang and Harbin homes and restaurants alongside dumplings, grilled skewers and heavy stews. Long green chillies, cucumber, coriander and spring onion are cut into thin strips and dressed with rice vinegar, a little soy and sesame oil, so it is hot, crunchy and very fresh. Serve it next to protein dishes as a crisp, low-starch side. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 50 kcal and 5 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is dressing it too early, so the cucumber weeps and the coriander goes limp; dress it just before eating. Chef's tip: choose a mix of mild and hot chillies so you control the heat and still get plenty of crunch.

10 minChineseSaladsVeganSpicy
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Jicai doufu gengShepherd's purse and tofu soup

In Shanghai and Jiangsu, shepherd's purse (jicai) is picked from field edges in early spring, and this gentle, lightly thickened soup is one of the first dishes of the season at home and in Shanghainese restaurants. Finely chopped greens and small cubes of soft tofu are simmered in vegetable stock with a few shiitake, then thickened just enough to coat a spoon, giving a soothing, savoury soup with a fresh, grassy taste. Serve it as a starter or with a small bowl of rice. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 110 kcal and 7 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is adding too much starch, which makes it gluey; it should flow off the spoon. Spinach works if you can't find jicai. Chef's tip: blanch and squeeze the greens before chopping, which keeps the soup bright green instead of murky.

25 minChineseSoupsVegan
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Xiangchun chao jidanChinese toon scrambled eggs

For a few weeks each April in Shandong, Henan and Beijing, the red-tipped young shoots of the Chinese toon tree are sold in bundles at every market, and the first thing families make is this quick scramble for lunch or supper. The toon has a strong, garlicky, almost oniony perfume that turns sweet and nutty once cooked with egg. It is eaten with rice, congee or steamed buns. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is high in protein and very low in starch: about 190 kcal and 3 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is skipping the blanch: raw toon tastes harsh and is always scalded first. Chef's tip: chop the toon very finely and beat it into the egg before cooking, so every mouthful carries the scent.

15 minChineseVegetarianGluten free
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ScafataBroad bean and chard stew

Scafata comes from the hill towns of Umbria, around Spoleto and Foligno, where it is cooked in late April and May when the first fresh broad beans, chard and spring onions arrive together. The beans are stewed slowly in olive oil and tomato until they are soft and creamy, with the chard melting into a green, fragrant sauce scented with wild fennel or mint. Eat it warm with a slice of wholegrain bread. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is rich in fibre and plant protein: about 240 kcal and 22 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is boiling it fast, which toughens the beans; it needs a lazy simmer. Chef's tip: double-pod only the large, older beans; young ones can be cooked in their pale skins.

50 minItalianVegetarianVeganGluten free
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Ceci in ziminoChickpeas stewed with chard

In Genoa and along the Tuscan coast, ceci in zimino is the dish of Lenten Fridays and the first cold days of All Souls in November, when the household cooks a big pot of chickpeas and stews them with chard and a little tomato. The chickpeas turn creamy, the chard gives a gently bitter green sauce, and a spoon of good oil on top makes it taste of the Riviera. Serve it as a main dish with toasted wholegrain bread. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is high in fibre and plant protein: about 300 kcal and 32 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is adding the chard leaves too early so they turn brown; keep them for the last 10 minutes. Chef's tip: mash a ladleful of chickpeas with a fork and stir them back in to thicken the zimino naturally.

50 minItalianCurriesVeganGluten free
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LampascioniWild hyacinth bulbs

Lampascioni, the bulbs of the wild tassel hyacinth, are dug in winter and spring in the fields of Puglia and Basilicata and sold in nets in Bari and Matera markets. They look like small red onions and have a pleasantly bitter, earthy bite that the people of Salento love as an antipasto or side to grilled meat, beans or eggs. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, they are high in fibre: about 120 kcal and 12 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is not soaking them long enough; unsoaked lampascioni are very bitter, so change the water several times. Jarred lampascioni in brine, rinsed well, are a quick alternative. Chef's tip: cut a small cross in the root end of each bulb so the bitterness leaches out and they cook evenly.

60 minItalianSidesVeganGluten free
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Salade de pois chichesChickpea salad

In Nice and around the old port of Marseille, chickpeas are the grain of the poor and the stuff of socca, and on hot summer days families toss them into this simple salad to eat at lunch or carry to the beach. Creamy chickpeas, sharp red onion, parsley and lemon are bound with fruity olive oil, with a few black olives and cumin in some homes. It works as a starter, a side to grilled fish or a light main. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is high in fibre and plant protein: about 270 kcal and 26 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is dressing cold, straight-from-the-tin chickpeas; warm them for a minute first so they drink up the dressing. Chef's tip: soak the sliced red onion in the lemon juice for 10 minutes to soften its bite.

17 minFrenchSaladsVeganGluten free
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Bonchi curryGreen bean coconut curry

Bonchi curry is one of the small vegetable curries that fill a Sri Lankan rice-and-curry lunch, cooked daily in Colombo kitchens and village homes in the hill country, where green beans grow in terraces near Nuwara Eliya. The beans are simmered in thin coconut milk with turmeric, curry leaves, pandan and green chilli until just tender, then enriched with a splash of thick milk so the sauce is mild, creamy and pale yellow. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is a high-fibre vegetable dish: about 150 kcal and 9 g carbohydrate per portion; serve it with red rice for slower-releasing carbohydrate. The usual mistake is boiling the thick coconut milk, which curdles it; add it at the end and only heat through. Chef's tip: cut the beans on a long diagonal so they soak up more of the sauce.

30 minSri LankanCurriesVeganGluten free
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Leshta chorbaLentil soup

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 minBulgarianSoupsVeganGluten free
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LasopyBlended vegetable soup

Highland evenings in Antananarivo can turn surprisingly cold, and that is when lasopy comes out, a smooth, pale-orange soup of carrot, leek, potato, turnip and green beans blended until velvety. Market cooks and grandmothers usually simmer it with beef bones; this version keeps it fully vegetarian, with the vegetables browned lightly first and a bay leaf and thyme for depth, so the water turns into a sweet, savoury broth on its own. It is often eaten with a handful of thin vermicelli cooked in it, or simply with bread, and a dab of sakay stirred in at the table. Leave the vegetables in big chunks: chopping them tiny makes them boil to mush before the flavour comes out. Chef's tip: hold back a ladle of cooking liquid and blend the rest, then thin to taste, because once lasopy is too watery there is no fixing it.

60 minMalagasySoupsVeganGluten free
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Kachnar ki sabziBauhinia bud stir-fry

For a few weeks each March, the kachnar trees of Lahore, Rawalpindi and the Punjab plains are covered in buds, and families pick them to cook this seasonal sabzi, often eaten with fresh roti at Sunday lunch. The buds are boiled briefly, then cooked down with onion, tomato and dry spices until they turn soft with a pleasant, slightly astringent bite, a little like green beans and artichoke. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is fibre-rich and low in starch: about 140 kcal and 12 g carbohydrate per portion; a wholewheat or millet roti suits it. The usual mistake is skipping the blanch, which leaves the buds bitter and tough. Chef's tip: pick tight, unopened buds; open flowers turn mushy.

40 minPakistaniVegetarianVeganGluten free
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Mas ko dalBlack lentil dal

Mas ko dal, made from whole black urad, is the thick, dark dal of the Nepali hills, cooked in heavy pots in Kathmandu, Gorkha and the Newar towns, especially on cold days and for festival meals. Slow cooking makes it creamy and earthy, and the tempering of jimbu, garlic and cumin in hot mustard oil gives it the scent of the Himalaya. Eat with rice, roti or dhido. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is high in protein and fibre: about 250 kcal and 30 g carbohydrate per portion; brown rice or millet dhido suits it well. The usual mistake is not soaking the lentils, which leaves them hard and the dal thin; soak them overnight. Chef's tip: simmer the dal with a few ginger slices and mash it lightly with a wooden spoon at the end for the classic thick texture.

70 minNepaliCurriesVeganGluten free
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Simi ko tarkariGreen bean stir-fry

Simi ko tarkari is cooked all summer in Nepal, when runner and French beans climb the bamboo poles of every hill farm, and it is one of the dry sides on the plate with dal, rice and achar. The beans are stir-fried in mustard oil with cumin, garlic and tomato, and finished with crushed timur, Nepal's citrusy, tingling pepper. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is a high-fibre vegetable side: about 110 kcal and 10 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is covering the pan for too long, which steams the beans grey; keep the heat high and the lid off for most of the cooking. Chef's tip: toast the timur briefly in a dry pan before crushing; its lemony scent doubles.

25 minNepaliSidesVeganGluten free
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Ensaladang talongGrilled aubergine salad

Ensaladang talong is the smoky side salad that sits beside grilled fish or pork at Filipino family lunches, from Pampanga to Davao, and on the table at weekend beach outings. Long Asian eggplants are charred whole until the flesh collapses, then peeled and topped with diced tomato, red onion and a sharp vinegar dressing. This version leaves out the usual fermented shrimp paste so it is vegan. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is low in starch: about 70 kcal and 10 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is pulling the eggplants off the heat too soon; they must be soft right through, or the flesh is spongy and raw. Chef's tip: peel the hot eggplants under a trickle of water with your fingertips to keep the smoky flesh whole.

25 minFilipinoSaladsVeganGluten free
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Ensaladang pakoFiddlehead fern salad

Pako, the young curled fronds of the vegetable fern, grow along streams in the Cordillera, Laguna and Mindanao, and in the rainy season they are sold in bundles at roadside stands. Blanched for a moment and tossed with tomato, onion, a calamansi and vinegar dressing and wedges of salted duck egg, they make a crunchy, refreshing side for grilled dishes at lunch. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it adds greens with some protein: about 120 kcal and 8 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is eating the fern raw or barely warmed; always blanch it until tender. Chef's tip: plunge the fern straight into iced water after blanching so it stays bright green and crisp.

20 minFilipinoSaladsGluten free
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NazkhatoonSmoky aubergine with pomegranate

Nazkhatoon comes from Gilan, the green, rainy province on Iran's Caspian coast, where it is eaten in summer as a starter or side with grilled fish, rice and fresh herbs. Charred eggplant is chopped with tomato, garlic and mint, then sharpened with sour pomegranate molasses and verjuice, so it tastes smoky, tart and fresh at once. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is a vegetable salad with no grain: about 110 kcal and 14 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is using sweet pomegranate syrup; it must be the sour Gilani style, and a little goes a long way. Chef's tip: chop everything by hand rather than in a blender, so the salad keeps some texture.

40 minPersianSaladsVeganGluten free
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GhiveciBaked mixed vegetable stew

Ghiveci is the Romanian answer to a late-summer glut, made in August and September and often bottled for winter, and it is a mainstay on Orthodox fasting days because it contains no animal products. Aubergine, peppers, courgette, green beans, carrots and onion are layered with tomato and herbs and baked slowly until soft and sweet, with a little browned crust on top. Serve warm or cold with bread, or beside beans. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 190 kcal and 20 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is cutting the vegetables all the same size: harder carrots and beans need smaller pieces than courgette and aubergine so everything is tender at once. Chef's tip: bake uncovered for the last 20 minutes so the juices reduce and the top caramelises.

95 minRomanianVegetarianVeganGluten free
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Salată de ardei copțiRoasted pepper salad

Every Romanian family makes salată de ardei copți in late summer, when the long, sweet bell peppers are piled high at the markets of Bucharest and Cluj and the smell of peppers roasting on the hob fills apartment blocks. The peppers are charred whole, peeled and dressed with garlic, vinegar, oil and parsley, then left to soak up the dressing. It is served cold as a side with grilled meat or fish, or with mămăligă, cheese and eggs. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 100 kcal and 9 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is rinsing the peeled peppers under the tap, which washes away the smoky juices. Chef's tip: steam them in a covered bowl for 10 minutes after charring, and the skins slip off easily.

35 minRomanianSaladsVeganGluten free
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Takenoko no tosaniSimmered bamboo shoots

In Kyoto and the hills around Nagaoka, April means fresh bamboo shoots, and almost every home cooks a pot of tosani: shoots simmered in dashi and soy, then tossed in crumbled bonito flakes (the 'Tosa' style, after the bonito-fishing province on Shikoku). It is served as a small side with rice and grilled fish, or packed into bento boxes. Suitable as part of a balanced diet: it is high in fibre and uses only a teaspoon of sugar, which you can leave out or swap for a sweetener. About 45 kcal and 5 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is using fresh, unboiled bamboo shoots straight away; raw shoots must be pre-boiled for an hour (traditionally with rice bran) to remove bitterness and natural toxins, so use ready-boiled vacuum-packed shoots unless you do that step. Chef's tip: let the shoots cool in the broth so they drink it up before you add the bonito.

35 minJapaneseSides
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Meen pollichathuFish wrapped in banana leaf

Meen pollichathu belongs to the backwaters of Alappuzha and Kumarakom, where karimeen (pearl spot) is caught in the lagoons and served wrapped in banana leaf at toddy shops, houseboats and Syrian Christian Sunday lunches. The fish is rubbed with chilli and turmeric, briefly pan-fried, then wrapped with a thick masala of shallots, ginger, garlic, tomato, curry leaves and a little coconut milk and cooked on a pan until the leaf chars. Suitable as part of a balanced diet: high-protein fish with no flour. About 320 kcal and 9 g carbohydrate per portion; serve with a small portion of red matta rice or vegetables. The usual mistake is skipping the first light fry, which leaves the skin soft and lets the fish fall apart in the parcel. Sea bream or pomfret work well. Chef's tip: cook the masala until it is almost dry, or the parcel steams instead of roasting.

55 minIndianFishGluten free
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Bhapa ilishSteamed hilsa in mustard

When the monsoon brings hilsa up the Padma and Hooghly rivers, Kolkata households cook bhapa ilish, the fish steamed in a pungent paste of mustard seeds, green chilli and mustard oil in a closed tiffin box. It is the star of Jamai Sasthi and of any rainy-season Sunday, served with plain rice. The fish is rich and tender, with a nose-tingling mustard heat. Suitable as part of a balanced diet: high in protein and omega-3 fats, with no starch in the dish itself. About 340 kcal and 4 g carbohydrate per portion; keep the rice portion modest. The usual mistake is grinding the mustard seeds too long or with warm water, which turns the paste bitter; grind briefly with cold water, a pinch of salt and a green chilli. Hilsa is bony, so eat slowly and warn guests. Chef's tip: drizzle raw mustard oil over the top just before closing the box; it gives the true Bengali aroma.

40 minIndianFishGluten free
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Tandoori pomfret

Tandoori pomfret is a fixture of Mumbai's coastal restaurants and Koli fishing families' feasts, especially in the cooler months when silver pomfret is at its best. Whole fish are slashed, given a lemon-and-salt first marinade, then coated in thick yogurt with ginger-garlic, Kashmiri chilli, ajwain and garam masala and roasted until charred at the edges and juicy inside. Suitable as part of a balanced diet: high-protein fish with no batter. About 280 kcal and 6 g carbohydrate per portion; serve with onion-cucumber salad and mint chutney. The usual mistake is using runny yogurt, which slides off and steams the fish; strain it first. Chef's tip: a spoon of roasted gram flour (besan) in the marinade helps it cling and char.

55 minIndianFishGluten free
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KitchaUnleavened flatbread

Kitcha (qita) is the everyday quick bread of the Ethiopian and Eritrean highlands, baked when there is no time to ferment injera, and eaten for breakfast with tea or coffee, or torn up as kitcha fitfit with spiced butter and berbere. The dough is just flour and water, spread thick on a hot mitad griddle and cooked on both sides until speckled and firm. Traditionally there is no salt in it at all: about 0.0 g salt per portion, so it sits well beside salty stews. The usual mistake is spreading it too thin, which gives a cracker; aim for 1 cm so the middle stays soft. Barley or teff flour can replace some of the wheat for a nuttier bread. Chef's tip: press a little hollow in the middle with your fingers before turning, and the bread cooks evenly without a raw centre.

25 minEthiopianBreads & ParathasVegan
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Kefir

Kefir is the sour, lightly fizzy fermented milk that families across Russia, Georgia and the North Caucasus drink plain from a glass at breakfast, as an evening snack or alongside a meal, and also use in pancakes and cold soups. It is made by leaving milk with kefir grains, a living culture of yeasts and bacteria, at room temperature for a day until it thickens. Nothing is added: no salt and no sugar. About 0.25 g salt per 250 ml glass, all from the milk itself. Always use pasteurised milk. The usual mistake is leaving it too long, until it separates into curds and whey; check after 18 hours and stop when it is just thick and pourable. Chef's tip: a second ferment of 6 hours in the fridge in a closed bottle makes it smoother and a little fizzier.

1445 minRussianDrinksGluten free
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Salatet tahinaTahini sauce

No Egyptian table is complete without salatet tahina: in Cairo and Alexandria it is served with fried fish, grilled kofta, ful and falafel, and it is on every mezze plate at Friday lunch. Sesame paste is whipped with lemon juice, garlic, cumin and cold water until it turns pale, fluffy and creamy, with no sugar at all. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it brings sesame protein and healthy fats with very little carbohydrate: about 150 kcal and 5 g carbohydrate per portion of 3 tablespoons. The usual mistake is panicking when the tahini seizes and goes thick after the lemon goes in; keep adding cold water a spoon at a time and it loosens into a smooth sauce. Chef's tip: use ice-cold water, which makes the tahina whiter and fluffier.

10 minEgyptianChutneys & DipsVeganGluten free
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SchmorgurkenBraised cucumbers

Schmorgurken are a late-summer dish of Berlin and the Spreewald, the market-garden country south-east of the city, where big, thick braising cucumbers are piled up in August. Peeled and seeded, they are braised with onion and a little stock until tender and juicy, then finished with dill, mustard and a spoon of sour cream. Many families add minced meat or bacon; this is the vegetarian version, good with boiled new potatoes or a fried egg. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is a low-starch vegetable dish: about 110 kcal and 9 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is braising them for too long until they collapse into mush; they are ready when just translucent. Chef's tip: scrape out the seeds thoroughly, or the dish turns watery.

30 minGermanVegetarianGluten free
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Chłodnik litewskiChilled beet leaf soup

In Podlasie and the lake country of north-east Poland, chłodnik is the soup of hot June and July days, when young beets are pulled with their leaves still tender. The beet greens and baby beets are cooked briefly, chilled, then stirred into kefir with cucumber, radish, spring onion and lots of dill, so the soup turns shocking pink, tangy and cold. It is served as a starter or a light lunch with half a hard-boiled egg in each bowl. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 170 kcal and 13 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is mixing the kefir into warm beets, which makes it split and dulls the colour, so chill them completely first. Chef's tip: add a squeeze of lemon to the cooking beets; the acid keeps the colour a vivid pink instead of brownish.

30 minPolishSoupsGluten free
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Zupa szczawiowaSorrel soup

Zupa szczawiowa is a spring and early summer soup all over Poland, made when sorrel grows thickly in gardens and meadows from May onwards, and it is a favourite Sunday-lunch starter. Fresh sorrel melts into a vegetable broth with carrot and celeriac, giving a bright, lemony sourness, and a spoon of sour cream softens it before halved hard-boiled eggs go into each bowl. Many cooks add potatoes; this version uses just a small one to keep the starch low. Suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 190 kcal and 11 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is stirring sour cream straight into the boiling soup, where it curdles. Chef's tip: wilt the sorrel in a little butter first; it turns khaki in seconds, which is normal, and the flavour stays bright.

35 minPolishSoupsGluten free
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