Recipe Sifter

Bhindi masala with three pounds of okra cooked in a garlic-heavy base of browned onions, fresh green chilies, turmeric, and cumin. A straightforward Indian okra dish that's vegan, quick, and full of warm spice.

Cheese and chili soup with 10 cloves of garlic, fresh tomatoes, sharp cheddar, mozzarella, and salsa stirred in at the end. Thick, cheesy, and loaded with flavor.

Championship chili layered with chicken broth, pork chops, flank steak, green chiles, and beer. A Texas-style three-meat bowl that's better the next day.

Picadillo ground beef simmered with olives, capers, raisins, tomatoes, cumin, and allspice over rice. A classic Latin American comfort dish with sweet-savory depth.

Roast pork loin marinated overnight in ground red chiles, lime juice, cumin, oregano, and orange juice concentrate. Served with a sour cream and white wine pan sauce.

Southern pot likker chili built on collard-green broth with smoked chuck, ground beef, pintos, chipotle, habanero, and a splash of beer. Long-simmered, deeply smoky, bowl-licking good.

Potato and brown rice burgers are vegetarian patties bound with whole wheat breadcrumbs and parmesan, served with a cool cumin-garlic yogurt sauce. Grill, griddle, or broil for crispy edges.

Cream of green chile soup with potatoes, Monterey Jack cheese, and crispy corn tortilla strips. A rich, cumin-spiced bowl straight from New Mexico's kitchen.

Moroccan-spiced grilled flank steak marinated overnight in cumin, ginger, turmeric, chili powder, lemon juice, and olive oil. Sliced thin and served with heated marinade.

Breakfast burritos pack scrambled eggs, ground beef, diced potatoes, and sharp cheddar into warm flour tortillas. A hearty Tex-Mex morning hand-held that beats any drive-thru.

Pureed peanut soup with butternut squash, potatoes, and coriander, topped with crispy cornmeal-crusted baked okra croutons. West African inspired and velvety rich.

Chicken Ya-Hah simmers chicken breast with jalapenos, water chestnuts, Szechwan chili sauce, curry, cumin, and red wine in tomato sauce. A spicy fusion stew over cornbread or rice.

Bagara baingan, a South Indian brinjal curry of whole baby eggplants simmered in a rich, nutty gravy of ground peanuts, poppy seeds, and red chilies with warm spices. A deeply flavorful vegan curry.

Howard Karten's salsa is a Mediterranean-leaning chunky tomato dip: peeled tomatoes, red onion, black olives, cumin, garlic, oregano, and red wine vinegar. No chiles, no cilantro, all flavor.

Slow cooker chickpea stew with carrots, tomatoes, and warm North African spices served over couscous. A dump-and-go crockpot meal with cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon.

Lamb with onions, a fragrant North Indian curry where onions do double duty, crisp-fried to deep brown and simmered into a yogurt gravy with ginger, garlic, cardamom and garam masala. Slow-braised until the lamb is tender.