Main Dish recipe collection

Kakuluwo is a Sri Lankan crab curry simmered in two rounds of coconut milk with fenugreek, grated coconut, and curry leaves. Messy to eat, absolutely worth every bite.

This Sri Lankan kakuluwo simmers blanched crab in a spiced coconut gravy thickened with grated coconut and ground rice. Fenugreek, curry leaves, and lime make it unmistakably island-style.

Kukul mas is the classic Sri Lankan chicken curry. Chicken rubbed with tamarind, cardamom, and curry powder simmers in thick coconut milk with lemongrass and fenugreek until fall-off-the-bone tender.

Sri Lankan peegudhu liver curry with beef liver simmered in coconut milk, fragrant curry leaves, lemongrass, and warm spices. Cardamom, cloves, fennel, and chili in every bite.

Wattakka is a creamy Sri Lankan pumpkin curry cooked in coconut milk and thickened with ground rice and mustard seeds. Served in the hollowed-out pumpkin shell for a stunning presentation.

Grilled steak strips meet a tangy homemade Caesar dressing with Parmesan, blue cheese, and crunchy croutons. This steak Caesar salad is a quick 40-minute main dish that turns a classic side into a full meal.

Small pieces of steak served over white rice with a side of broccoli.

Steak Habanero: pounded flank steak seared and simmered in a fiery sauce of roasted poblanos, onion, garlic, habanero, and cilantro. Served with warm tortillas for dunking. Bold heat in about 20 minutes.

Round steak braised in a spicy tomato sauce with mushrooms, green peppers, onions, chili powder, and ripe olives. A Tex-Mex style oven-braised steak that turns tough beef fork-tender.

Steak with Green Peppers and Water Chestnuts recipe

Sliced pepper steak tossed in a creamy Thai peanut sauce with jalapeno, ginger, lime, and yogurt, served over jasmine rice. A rich, nutty, spicy beef dinner ready in 35 minutes.

Adapted from “Jacques Pépin Celebrates” (Knopf, 2001)- New York Times

Chicken breast cubes steamed with Chinese sausage (lup cheong), dried mushrooms, hoisin sauce, ginger, and garlic. A savory, aromatic Cantonese-style steamed chicken dish with deep umami flavor.

Cod fillets brushed with oyster sauce, wrapped in napa cabbage leaves with soy-seasoned rice and ginger, then steamed into neat bundles. A light, elegant fish dinner served with mustard vinaigrette.

Fish fillets nestled in spinach with sauteed onions, garlic, white wine, and tarragon, grilled in foil packets over medium coals. A low-calorie, no-mess grilled fish dinner for summer cookouts.

Mussels steamed over a simmering tomato-white wine sauce with oregano and red pepper flakes, served on pasta and topped with crumbled feta cheese. A Greek-inspired seafood pasta dinner for two.