

A crisp raw banana vadai soaked in lightly spiced curd makes for a satisfying South Indian snack.

Small whole onions are filled with a dry spice mix of dried mango powder, cumin, coriander and red chilli, then cooked in a tomato and ginger garlic gravy.

A simple moong dal cooked until soft, then finished with a hot ghee tadka of cumin seeds, mustard seeds, garlic, green chillies and asafoetida.

On a weeknight when the fridge has leftover cooked chicken and not much else going for it, this soup comes together in under thirty minutes without any fuss.

What makes this worth your time is the paste -- built from dry-roasted seeds, coconut, and fresh chillies, then fried into spiced mashed potato and packed into whole peppers that steam gently in a tamarind and cumin broth.

Gobi matar masala dry aka cauliflower peas curryis an exotic cauliflower recipewhich is frequently preparedin northern Indian houses during the winter season.

A warm spice tempering poured over cold yogurt-dressed potatoes sounds like it should not work, but it does, every single time.

This recipe turns grated sweet potato into a spiced filling that cooks down soft and sweet in under fifteen minutes.

Bone-in pork shoulder pan-seared then slow cooked with plenty of fresh garlic, onion, and ginger as well as Indian-style spices such as cumin, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, and coriander then served over steamed basmati rice.

This is the kind of kebab you grill when the timing is not rushed and the meat deserves more than a quick marinade.

Hummus is one of those recipes that quietly became a staple in my kitchen without me even noticing.

These cutlets bring together minced mutton and mashed potatoes with a layered spice mix that includes cumin, coriander, and green chillies.

Jasmine rice cooked with fresh onion and seasoned with turmeric, garlic, and cumin.

This pulao sits somewhere between a main dish and a celebration centerpiece, loaded with fresh fruit and studded with just enough whole spices to keep things warm and fragrant without overpowering the sweetness.

In this recipe I combined two of my favorite foods—shepherd’s pie and Moroccan spiced lamb.

The panch phoron spice blend adds a sharp, smoky warmth to the batter that most store-bought fish fingers never come close to.

This is a weeknight sandwich that feels more put together than it actually is, mostly because of the lime and cumin marinade that soaks into the grilled vegetables.