Recipe Description:

Yoshoku (‘western-style’) restaurants had been around for over half a century before (legend has it) baseball star Shigeru Chiba walked into one in 1948 and asked for his two favourite dishes on one plate— kare, a silky-sweet gravy spiced with imported British curry powder, and katsu, a crispy panko-coated cutlet. Yoshoku food soon thrived amidst Japan’s post-war economic boom, with katsukare its deserving figurehead. Aubergine provides an earthy butteriness to our vegan katsu, coated in panko breadcrumbs that retain their light, crisp texture even when slathered in our full-bodied curry sauce

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 30 minsFor 4 - 45 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 45 minsFor 4 - 50 mins

Recipe Description:

Thai cuisine’s use of various prepared curry pastes makes it easy to quickly prepare a dish with a complex flavour profile, and it also means that Thai cuisine traditionally encourages flexibility— red Thai curry paste is used for all sorts of marinades and stir-fries, in addition to the saucy coconut milk kaeng that we somewhat inaccurately call ‘curry’. Despite all that variety, you’d be hard pressed to find a Thai restaurant serve a duck kaeng that isn’t red. Perhaps it’s because the extra-savoury red chilli flavour cuts so marvellously through the sweet, juicy delicacy of duck meat. Who would dare tamper with such a classic?

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 15 minsFor 4 - 20 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 45 minsFor 4 - 45 mins

Recipe Description:

Brassica Oleracea goes by many aliases worldwide: broccoli, kale and cabbage, to name a few. Cauliflower is the slyest chameleon of them all, able to act grainy, floury or meaty, as in this trendy plant ‘steak’. Trendy, yes, but Indian vegetarians have been cooking with similarly ingenious meat substitutes for centuries. This tender centerpiece, lightly marinated and roasted to perfection, is no second-stringer, though, ably supported by the equally world class combo of a spicy chickpea curry and a refreshing salad

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 20 minsFor 4 - 30 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 35 minsFor 4 - 35 mins

Recipe Description:

In Japan they’re known as udon, while in China they’re ‘cu mian’, or ‘thick noodles’, and are especially popular in the area around Shanghai. By either name, this flour and water-based pasta is a real marvel. Slurpable and bouncy, udon are a joy to wrestle with as they wriggle around your chopsticks, whether seasoned by a soup broth, salad dressing or stir-fry sauce. For this recipe, we were inspired by the glossy soy sauce fries served up by Shanghai street food vendors, who deftly sear the super-heated flavours onto the mischievous noodles.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 20 minsFor 4 - 25 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 25 minsFor 4 - 30 mins

Recipe Description:

The starchy stem of the sacred lotus plant is popular as a vegetable in China and Japan, both for its celery-like crunch and down-to-earth sweetness, and also the uniquely attractive pattern of holes running through it. Sliced, its floral prettiness lends itself equally well to pickles, garnishes, clear broths and stir fries. Our ginger and soy marinade is typically Japanese - understated and clean-tasting, not too spicy or herby, bringing the essential flavours of the chicken and lotus root to the foreground where they belong.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 30 minsFor 4 - 35 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 35 minsFor 4 - 40 mins

Recipe Description:

Burmese food is often described as a combination of neighbouring Indian, Chinese and Thai cuisines, but perhaps this is just a matter of familiarity— if Burmese food had taken off in Britain first, we’d all be describing lemongrass and turmeric as our favourite Burmese ingredients. Burmese cooks make it all seem effortless, foregoing complicated curry pastes or spice layering techniques in favour of a simple balance of carefully chosen aromatic ingredients. This curry infuses tender, soft tofu with an array of dazzling flavours, all more than happy to share the potentially crowded space of a single cooking pot.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 25 minsFor 4 - 35 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 30 minsFor 4 - 40 mins

Recipe Description:

‘Chinese cooking’ encompasses so many different regions and traditions that you might just as easily try and talk about ‘European cooking’. But there’s one dish that can be found all over China, with just a few regional tweaks here and there— Hong Shao Rou, or ‘red braised pork’, named for the distinctive hue that the dark sauce gives to the pale meat. Even the humblest home-cooked version tastes luxurious, thanks to the deep, dark & caramelised flavour of the concentrated soy sauce, while the aromatics & spices give off a comforting, fragrant aura that makes this indulgent dish feel downright healthy.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 25 minsFor 4 - 30 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 50 minsFor 4 - 60 mins

Recipe Description:

Mauritius was an uninhabited island when it was first settled on by Arab traders during the Middle Ages. Centuries of colonisation and migration has produced a uniquely cosmopolitan food culture, remixing French, Indian and Chinese cuisine into something uniquely suited to the relatively mild tropical climate. Chouchou, a type of squash originally from Mexico, is often plucked straight from the vine in the cook’s own garden, and then sautéed in a mild, aromatic blend of spices until at its juicy, refreshing best. This is a fruity, flavoursome array of dishes, blending European herbs with Asian spices and technique.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 35 minsFor 4 - 40 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 40 minsFor 4 - 50 mins

Recipe Description:

Pilaf is a dish so ancient, its origins probably predate the beginning of recorded history. Wherever it was first made, what we do know is that for many people across Asia all the way to the Mediterranean sea, there is no cooking technique more deeply rooted than the simmering of rice in a flavourful broth, timed perfectly so that each grain is fluffy and separate, with its own distinct bite. Our pilaf is a showcase of hearty ingredients that are popular across the Middle East and the Levant, but especially celebrates the lip-smacking tartness of fruity pomegranate seeds, tangy sumac and refreshing mint yoghurt.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 45 minsFor 4 - 45 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 55 minsFor 4 - 70 mins

Recipe Description:

Mafé is a deeply comforting, rich tomato & peanut stew. Peanuts are Senegal’s primary crop; once brought over from South America, they soon eclipsed the region’s native ‘Bambara groundnut’ as a national staple food. The Bambara groundnut is now a rare and somewhat neglected crop, but its memory lives on in this traditional favourite, popular all over West Africa and further afield. Sometimes featuring chicken or fish, we’ve gone for the beef mafé that is often cooked for special occasions in Senegal, the deep nuttiness of the sauce not proving too overpowering for the beef’s assertively meaty flavour.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 20 minsFor 4 - 25 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 40 minsFor 4 - 45 mins

Recipe Description:

Cauliflower probably originated in Cyprus, but it was Arab sailors who introduced it all over the world during the Middle Ages. It’s a mystery, then, why whole roasted cauliflower has taken so long to become a global trend. But once Israeli chef Eyal Shani served it at his fast-casual pita sandwich chain Miznon, the world caught on to its charred, meaty appeal. Inspired as much by traditional Middle Eastern cuisine as modern Israeli vegan dining, our sophisticated version is scattered bountifully with pomegranate and almond and slathered with lemon and tahini for a dish that is as impressive-looking as it is genuinely tasty.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 35 minsFor 4 - 40 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 40 minsFor 4 - 45 mins

Recipe Description:

Anywhere in India that there’s a Muslim community or a history of Persian trade, there’s a biryani, a supercharged Indo-Persian pilaf cooked in a single pot. Biryani is, literally, a potted history of India, a cross-cultural cosmopolitan blend spread out in infinite regional variations, each a distillation of that community’s favourite flavours. In our version, spicy marinated chicken is browned in an onion tarka. Then the real magic happens, fragrant rice steaming and stewing together with the meat into infinitely more than the sum of its parts.

Recipe Description:

Iraqi cuisine may contain recognisable Middle Eastern staples such as mezze, hummus, kofta and kebabs, but Iraqi chefs are justifiably proud of their unique spin on these familiar dishes. Case in point, this aubergine and kofta casserole, where slices of aubergine are rolled around the kofta, tender meaty bites dripping with a hearty tomato sauce thickened with ground almonds. The presentation is likely inspired by dolma (stuffed, wrapped leaves), also an Iraqi favourite. The herby, savoury-sweet and fragrant meat filling is a wonderfully deft balance of flavours

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 30 minsFor 4 - 40 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 60 minsFor 4 - 70 mins

Recipe Description:

Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine is so dizzyingly diverse that a casual meal can start to feel like peeling back layers of history and colonisation, encountering Thai flavours, Chinese techniques, Indian aromas, and traces of both Western and Middle Eastern influence among the fragrancy and punch of local Malay cuisine. This succulent lamb is an example of how southern Chinese-style cooking has become richer and spicier in its Malaysian incarnation— sweeter, darker kecap manis takes soy sauce’s place, while a garnish of toasted coconut, crispy onions and smoky chilli oil offers an unforgettable first impression before the first bite

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 25 minsFor 4 - 35 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 50 minsFor 4 - 65 mins

Recipe Description:

Manti are perhaps the missing link between Chinese and Italian cuisine, said to have been brought to Turkey by the nomadic Central Asian tribes who settled in Anatolia during the middle ages. The word ‘manti’ is thought to be related to the Mandarin word ‘mantou’, meaning a steamed bun. While resembling a cross between pasta and steamed dumplings when plated, it’s the dramatic, vigorous flavours that set Turkish manti apart from other dumplings, with the cooling yoghurt and buttery tomato sauce coating the earthy spiced dumpling in a layer of lip-smacking satisfaction.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 50 minsFor 4 - 65 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 50 minsFor 4 - 65 mins

Recipe Description:

Korean cuisine has always involved jang, the name for a variety of soy-based fermented sauces. Soy sauce itself is a type of ‘jang’, as is the soybean paste left over once the sauce has been brewed and strained. Jang used to be spiced with various local varieties of peppercorn; but ever since gochu-jang (a soybean paste infused with deep red Korean dried chilli powder) arrived, it has defined so much about South Korean cuisine. Smoky, sweet, and intensely savoury, it pairs well with ingredients like honey and soy that can amplify its key flavours while softening its spiciness, as in these decadently marinated pork chops.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 25 minsFor 4 - 35 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 45 minsFor 4 - 55 mins

Recipe Description:

In the ‘50s and ‘60s, Punjabis and Sikhs moved to the Midlands to work in Britain’s factories and foundries. Initially, racism and hostility barred these immigrants from the area’s pubs; but as the traditional trade struggled, several establishments found a new lease of life thanks to Indian publicans, who began serving Punjabi food alongside the typical draught ales and lagers. The ‘Desi pub’ redefined the British institution for a more inclusive era, while also introducing ingenious twists on classic pub food— like this hearty English roast, spiced up with a classic tandoori marinade, garam masala gravy, Desi roast potatoes and minted peas.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 40 minsFor 4 - 50 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 60 minsFor 4 - 70 mins

Recipe Description:

Gözleme are often mistaken for stuffed pancakes by tourists, but that’s just a testament to the baking skills of the women who make them— they’re actually a flatbread, with the dough rolled to perfect thinness using an ‘oklava’, a long thin rolling pin around which the dough is repeatedly wrapped and unspooled. Still, though difficult to master, the dough can be made by even a novice baker, then fried until it develops those characteristic ‘göz’, or ‘eyes’— the dark, extra-crispy spots of surface charring. Originally a humble Anatolian ‘village food’, the gözleme is now a beloved treat all over Turkey

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 50 minsFor 4 - 65 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 50 minsFor 4 - 65 mins

Recipe Description:

Mapo tofu was named after a pockmarked (ma-zi) old woman (popo) restaurateur in Chengdu. Passing oil sellers carrying their wares to the markets would stop by for a quick meal, handing her their own ingredients and challenging her to improvise. This explosive dish was the most popular result. The black beans and chilli paste offer more than enough umami flavour to make the tofu richly satisfying, its silky textural caress disguising the bold, peppery ma la (numbing heat) waiting to jump out. Our added peas supply just enough of a sweet note to keep you coming back for more of that Sichuan fire

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 20 minsFor 4 - 25 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 25 minsFor 4 - 30 mins

Recipe Description:

The area known as Bengal covers the fertile floodplains of the world’s largest delta, where the Ganges river meets the sea. ‘Fish and rice make a Bengali’, goes the saying, and indeed macher jhol (‘fish stew’) is still the main event at the multi-course extravaganza that is a traditional Bengali meal. While the ingredients might seem humble, Bengali techniques maximise on flavour. Frying the fish to develop a flavourful sear is crucial, as is the mustard seed tarka at the stew’s base. Mustard is treated as a spice, vegetable and cooking oil; its surprisingly pungent kick leaps out of the region’s deceptively simple home cooking.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 35 minsFor 4 - 45 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 60 minsFor 4 - 70 mins

Recipe Description:

Centuries ago, Chinese traders were drawn to the new opportunities available on the coast of modern-day Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, some settling down in the area with local wives. These families were the ancestors of the Peranakans, whose cuisine to this day is a unique mix of Chinese and Malay traditions. Laksa is a defining dish of this ‘nonya’ (‘auntie’) food, named as a tribute to the women who have passed down its secrets through the generations. It’s a perfect marriage between the soothing, refined slurp of a Chinese noodle soup and the flavourful punch of Southeast Asian curry pastes, chilli and coconut milk.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 40 minsFor 4 - 45 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 45 minsFor 4 - 50 mins

Recipe Description:

Much of Egyptian cooking takes its cue from the neighbouring countries of the Middle East, offering its own spin on everything from mezze to kebabs. Yet it also has a distinct tradition of its own, using fewer spices and based around simple, gentle preparations of fresh vegetables & meat from the fertile plains along the river Nile. In their home-cooked buttery heartiness, recipes like this beef & onion stew could be mistaken for rustic French bistro food— but it’s worth bearing in mind that even the ‘French’ delicacy foie gras actually originated in ancient Egypt, where the onion bulb was revered as a symbol of eternal life.

• Preparation time:

  For 2 - 25 minsFor 4 - 35 mins

• Cooking time:

  For 2 - 35 minsFor 4 - 40 mins