Pasta recipes

Par-cooked balti meat is a Birmingham-curry-house technique: meat simmered with masala paste then frozen for fast curry assembly. A make-ahead British-Indian meal prep base.

Traditional Egyptian green soup made with milookhiyya leaves (or spinach), garlic, and coriander in rich stock. This silky, earthy bowl is comfort food at its finest, served with rice and chicken.

Garlic-anchovy rub with olive oil, anchovy paste, crushed garlic, and black pepper. A savory, umami-rich paste for lamb, chicken, or fish. Four ingredients, intensely flavorful.

Tahini dressing for falafel with sesame paste, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and water. Four ingredients, creamy and nutty, ready in 5 minutes. The classic Middle Eastern drizzle sauce.

A quick, spicy hot sauce for falafel: tomato paste simmered with vegetable stock, chili paste, cumin, lemon and fresh herbs into a bright, fiery sauce in about five minutes. Drizzle it over falafel, shawarma or grilled veg.

Gingered beet salad with a warm miso, sesame seed, and fresh ginger dressing tossed over boiled beets. An earthy, umami-rich side dish with Japanese-inspired flavors.

This is a classic Japanese dish, first made famous by the chef Nobu Matsuhisa and served in all his Nobu restaurants. Serve with steamed spinach and brown /black rice or quinoa for a simple, but delicious dinner.

Nero Wolfe's bread triangles spread with anchovy paste and pan-fried in butter until golden and crispy. A salty, savory literary appetizer inspired by Rex Stout's famous fictional detective.

Traditional Japanese red miso soup with dashi broth and miso paste rubbed through a sieve: simple, warming, ready for your choice of garnishes like tofu, wakame, or scallions.

This curry is a delicasy in the Indian state of Goa. It has plenty of coconut and some chilly which go very well with prawns.

An easy homemade pizza sauce from a can of whole tomatoes, garlic, and basil, with optional tomato paste for body. Simmer 15 minutes for bright and fresh or up to an hour for thick and deep. No jarred sauce needed.

Chicken leg pieces marinated in spiced yogurt with ginger-garlic paste, mace, cumin, and gram flour, then roasted on skewers. Cook it tandoor-style, on the grill, or in your oven.

Rendang is the legendary Indonesian beef curry: chunks of beef slow-simmered in spiced coconut milk and tamarind until the sauce reduces almost dry and the meat turns fork-tender. Deeply fragrant and richly spiced.

Thick swordfish steaks rolled in olive oil, broiled, and topped with savory anchovy butter. Garnished with lemon, anchovy fillets, and olives. Classic French Mirabeau style in 30 minutes.

Basic peanut-style dipping sauce (no actual peanuts) with cashew butter, tahini, coconut milk, lime, miso, and ginger. A richer, Thai-leaning satay sauce for grilled skewers, coconut shrimp, or crudités.

Momma's sloppy joes the old-fashioned way: ground beef simmered with a can of chicken gumbo soup and tomato paste into a thick, savory filling for buns. Three ingredients, one pan, and a crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner.