It’s a long weekend, which usually means time to spend on doing things that you might be hard pushed to experiment with. For me that usually means the meditative experience of cooking, trying recipes that I have saved or discovering a new cuisine.
So, for all the foodies out there, here is a list of tried and tested recipes from our Food section that is bound to open up a new culinary experience.
Vietnam
Let’s start with Vietnamese food – it is light, fresh and absolutely a delight in the mouth. I love making this seafood dish, especially for a summer meal. And UAE markets offer some amazing fresh prawns, too.
India
The next recipe takes you to India and the Parsi community specifically, which travelled from Iran to India in the 7th century. I have picked one of my all-time favourite breakfast recipe from them, called Akuri Pav or spicy scrambled eggs. The flavours elevate this dish and was my go-to dish after a busy morning at university in Mumbai. The coastal city has a string of ‘Irani cafes and bakeries’ that every true-blue Mumbaikar would have fond memories of. Here’s a take on eggs that’s bound to put a spring in your morning this weekend.
Pakistan
Pakistan has provinces that offer you very specific culinary experiences. This recipe from the North West frontier has a rich yoghurt-based gravy that is brilliant when mopped up with some hot flatbread. If it is a one-dish meal that you want to make, this Chicken Karahi recipe would be it.
China
Chinese cuisine has had a global impact as immigrants from China travelled around the world and settled in various countries. While mostly synonymous with fried rice and spring rolls, the centuries’ old culinary tradition has various streams of cooking within it, along with dozens of techniques – all of which result in different flavours. I have always loved the way they use star anise in their recipes, especially when braising meats. This particular one is actually a vegetarian take and involves cucumbers. It works great as a starter.
Middle East
A milk and rice flour based pudding, there are versions of it across the Arab world. In India and Pakistan you have a version called Phirni. An extremely subtle recipe, the dessert has a long history and actually started as a meat-based dish. Today, it is a staple and a dessert I love because of its layered hint of rose.
