Main

Easier to make than the beef version, chicken pho requires fewer ingredients and takes less finesse for superlative results.

How to prevent tofu from being bland? Toss it in a robust, spicy, salty, and deeply seasoned marinade.

Snow peas and water chestnuts add a fresh crunch to these tasty dumplings

A tangy dish full of zing. The thyme adds deep flavour and the roasties give real crunch.

A combination made in healthy-foodie heaven, this will be sure to satisfy you first thing in the morning!

Sweet, spicy, and refreshing all in one, this crisp cabbage side dish is a great way to get out of a steamed-broccoli rut.

A specialty of Kerala, this simple, spiced-up stir-fry makes for a quick, hearty dinner.

This 22-minute South Indian-inspired chicken dinner is based on takeout versions served at Manhattan's Curry Row. 

This classic Japanese soup is both nourishing and comforting—just the thing for those midwinter blues.

Forget about hot wings—these spicy "meatballs" combine white beans and mushrooms for a meatless take on your favorite party snack.

These cumin-spiced chicken thighs and roasted potatoes are balanced by a zippy, jalapeño-spiked alternative to coleslaw.

A whole chicken, poached in a ginger and anise–scented soy broth, is a popular dish served at Chinese New Year celebrations.

Here, fresh shrimp gets gently poached in herb-laced coconut milk. The spicing is subtle, so as not to obstruct the milk’s sweet flavor.

Cumin and turmeric give this 30-minute vegetarian stew smoky, warming flavor and vibrant, soul-satisfying color.

Frying the paneer in a little oil before stirring it through the masala not only makes it crispy—it also adds loads of flavor.

When you use a fairly expensive, rich, and well-marbled fish like wild salmon, you want to make sure you don’t clutter it with too many spices or overcook it. Coconut milk maintains that velvety mouthfeel of the fish and provides a stunning backdrop to its orange-pink vibrancy. I serve the salmon with those plump pearls of Israeli couscous that play on your senses with their caviarlike texture.

Rich with nutty tahini, savory miso, and plenty ginger and garlic, this comforting vegetarian soup is just what the doctor ordered for a chilly weeknight.

This one-pot meal is herby, sweet, and garlicky all at once. To add more green, throw in a handful of arugula or spinach at the end; for more garlic, pair it with garlic toast.

I love the classic combination of beef, potato, and carrot cooked in a saucy, slightly sweet curry and ladled next to white rice. You can use whatever meat and vegetables you want, but for me, curry has two unbreakable rules: First, make sure that meat is nice and fatty. Second, embrace the premade blocks of Japanese curry roux. Curry is not health food, but neither are the deep-fried pork cutlets called tonkatsu, and I’m not planning to give those up either, no matter what my wife says!

This recipe is in the Mains chapter of my cookbook, but I have to say, I've eaten it at all times of day. It's made it to my breakfast table, and I've definitely whipped it up for a weekend lunch. After I eat it, I always feel so nourished and happy—and my body seems to love me for that. The spices are definitely what make this dish so special.