Gourmet food at home, explained by science.
American, Indian, Pakistani, Nepali and Indo-Chinese dishes, plus more, with the why behind every step: what the heat, fat and acid are actually doing in your pan.
The recipe index
Filter by meal and style, or let the meal planner build a plan for you.
Restaurant-Style Kadai Chicken
Bone-in chicken in a deep onion-tomato gravy, built on a kadai masala you roast and grind yourself, and finished with…
Cinnamon Raisin Walnut French Toast with Blueberry Syrup
Thick walnut-raisin brioche (or store-bought cinnamon raisin bread) soaked in a maple-sweetened custard with cinnamon…
Creamy Mushroom Masala
Hard-seared mushrooms simmered in a classic Indian onion-tomato masala, then finished with ricotta and heavy cream. The…
Coconut Sooji Halwa
Coarse semolina toasted in butter with coconut until nutty and golden, then cooked in hot, cardamom-steeped milk. The…
Aam ka Achaar (Mango Pickle)
Sour raw mangoes coated in coarsely ground roasted spices, gently warmed whole seeds, salt, vinegar and mustard oil,…
Paneer Bhurji (with Homemade Paneer)
Fresh paneer made at home with milk and lemon juice, then mashed into softened onions with turmeric, chili, garam…
Sookhe Kaale Chole
Kala chana pressure-cooked with cumin and salt until tender and dry, then tossed with garam masala, coriander powder,…
Dal Makhani
Whole black urad dal pressure-cooked in the classic Indian base until creamy, kidney beans folded in near the end, then…
Rajma Chawal (Mothi Chawal)
Canned kidney beans simmered in the standard Indian base until they turn thick and creamy on their own, finished with a…
Seviyan (Vermicelli Kheer)
Fine vermicelli toasted in butter until golden, stirred into milk that’s been simmered until slightly thick, and…
Rasmalai
Fresh paneer from the Instant Pot, kneaded smooth, shaped into discs, boiled until puffed and cooled under the lid so…
Steamed Chicken Momos
Minced chicken or turkey with onion, spring onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and cilantro, wrapped in thin discs of…
Tandoori Momos
Steamed chicken momos coated in a thick yogurt marinade with Kashmiri chili, garam masala, ginger-garlic and lemon,…
Chili Garlic Momos
Steamed chicken momos crisped in a pan, then tossed in a glossy chili garlic sauce of sizzled garlic, chili, soy sauce…
Tandoori Chicken
Bone-in chicken marinated in yogurt or sour cream with ajwain, lemon, lal mirch, black pepper, garam masala, kasuri…
Tandoori Lamb Chops
Lamb chops in a yogurt or sour cream marinade with ajwain, lemon, lal mirch, black pepper, garam masala, kasuri methi…
Missi Roti (Dal Paratha)
A soft, nutty Punjabi flatbread made from besan and whole wheat atta, kneaded with onion, green chili, ajwain, kasuri…
Dahi Puri (Doi Phuchka)
Crisp puris filled with spiced potato and chickpeas, then topped with chilled sweet yogurt, tamarind and green…
Adrak ka Achaar (Ginger Pickle)
Julienned fresh ginger and green serrano peppers steeped in lemon juice with ajwain and salt, kept warm for a day or…
Chicken Sweet Corn Soup
The Indo-Chinese restaurant favorite at home: tender shredded chicken, sweet corn (half of it blended for body),…
New Yorker Crepe
Thin, buttery crepes filled with cubes of New York cheesecake and fresh strawberries, drizzled with white chocolate and…
Bread Pakora
Soft bread sandwiched with spiced mashed potato, dipped in a thick besan batter with ajwain and chili, and fried until…
Aloo Bread Rolls
Bread slices dipped in water, wrapped around a spiced potato filling and fried (or air-fried) until golden and crunchy.…
Chana Dal
Split desi chickpeas pressure-cooked until creamy but whole, then finished with a ghee tadka of cumin, onion,…
Green Moong Dal
Whole green mung beans pressure-cooked until creamy, partly mashed for body, and finished with a ghee tadka in the…
Punjabi Kadhi Pakora
Sour yogurt and besan simmered slowly into a tangy, silky curry, with soft onion pakoras and a sizzling cumin,…
Veg Hakka Noodles
Springy noodles tossed over high heat with crisp vegetables, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar and chili, the Indo-Chinese…
Aloo Gobi
Potatoes and cauliflower cooked in the classic Indian base until tender and golden at the edges, finished with garam…
Meethe Pude (Meetha Pura)
Thin whole-wheat pancakes sweetened with sugar or jaggery, scented with fennel and cooked in ghee until the edges turn…
Chicken 65
Bite-size chicken in a fiery red marinade with a cornstarch and rice-flour coat, fried until crisp and tossed with…
Achaari Chicken
Chicken simmered with the whole spices of mango pickle, fennel, mustard, fenugreek, nigella and cumin, in a tangy…
Khatte Aloo with Puri
Tangy, lightly spiced potatoes in a thin tomato gravy, sharpened with amchur and fennel, served with hot, puffed puris.…
Irish Potato Candy
Sweet cream cheese and coconut rolled into little “potatoes” and dusted with cinnamon. No potatoes…
Oreo Balls
Crushed cookies and cream cheese rolled into truffles and dipped in chocolate. The easiest party dessert there…
Homemade Rice Crispy Treats
Brown butter, extra marshmallows and a gentle hand make thick, chewy squares that stay soft for…
Mattar Paneer
Soft cubes of paneer and sweet green peas in a spiced onion-tomato gravy, finished with a splash of cream and kasuri…
Aloo Mattar
Tender potatoes and sweet peas in a spiced onion-tomato gravy, the comfort sabzi of North Indian…
Sookhi Urad Dal
Split white urad dal cooked just until tender, each grain separate, and finished with a sizzling ghee tadka of cumin,…
Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Protein Smoothie
Like a peanut butter cup milkshake, with Greek yogurt and protein powder for a post-workout…
Kale Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie
Strawberries and banana hide a big handful of kale; Greek yogurt and protein powder make it a real…
Iced Pistachio Matcha Latte
A white-chocolate-striped glass, creamy pistachio matcha over ice, and a thick cap of sweet cold…
Iced Vanilla Matcha with Chocolate Cold Foam
Vanilla-striped glass, creamy iced matcha, a thick chocolate cold foam and a crunchy sprinkle…
Chicken Biryani
Saffron-scented basmati layered over juicy, spiced chicken with fried onions and mint, all in one Instant…
Lamb Biryani
Tender spiced lamb under saffron basmati, fried onions and mint: the celebration biryani, made in the Instant…
Aloo Tikki
Golden potato patties spiced with ginger, green chili and chaat masala. Eat them with chutney, or pile on chole, yogurt…
Beetroot Tikki
Grated beetroot and potato with ginger, chili, chaat masala and oats, pan-fried into crisp, jewel-colored…
Pindi Chole
Soft white chickpeas cooked dark with tea, coated in a tangy pomegranate-seed and mango spice mix and finished with…
Three ideas behind every recipe here
Roast whole, grind fresh
Whole spices hold their aromatic oils until heat and grinding release them. A masala ground today beats a jar from months ago.
Bloom in hot fat
Most spice flavor dissolves in fat, not water. Spices that hit hot oil or ghee carry their flavor through the whole dish.
Control the water
Lids, timing and heat decide whether a gravy concentrates or turns watery. Every recipe tells you when to cover and when not to.