Sauces recipes

Fruit basket salad dressing with dried figs, orange yogurt, crushed pineapple, and nutmeg. A creamy, naturally sweet topping for fresh fruit salads. No cooking, just stir and chill.

Grilled mahi mahi marinated in saffron, white wine, and Pernod, served with sauteed fennel, crispy fried fennel stems, and homemade garlic aioli. Restaurant-worthy French seafood.

Quick-sautéed cucumber and red onion relish with fresh mint and red wine vinegar, served warm as a bright side for grilled fish or lamb.

Boondhi raita with golden chickpea-flour pearls soaked into thinned yogurt and seasoned with chaat masala. The cool, tangy Indian side that calms a fiery curry in one spoonful.

Triple cheese burgers: stuffed beef patties with cottage cheese and Parmesan inside, simmered in tomato sauce and topped with melted cheese. Retro skillet dinner.

Big-batch homemade salsa with fresh tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos, green chilis, and cayenne pepper. Makes 7 quarts for canning with a water bath method. Stock your pantry for the year.

Homemade curry powder toasted in the oven with fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, cloves, and cinnamon, then ground with turmeric, mace, and cayenne.

Mexican green mole built on tart tomatillos and toasted pumpkin seeds, with jalapeno, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon. A silky, herb-green sauce that cloaks chicken, pork, or enchiladas in tangy, nutty depth.

Onion tomato raita: a cooling Indian yogurt sauce with diced onion, tomato, and a sprinkle of chat masala. The classic side that tames spicy curries, biryanis, and tandoori dishes.

Ultra-rich alfredo sauce made with roasted garlic, real Parmigiano-Reggiano, Asiago cheese, and butter. Chilled overnight for deeper flavor, this two-cheese sauce clings to every strand of pasta.

Cumin-rubbed chicken thighs wrapped in warm flour tortillas with a bright, fresh tomato-coriander salsa, creamy avocado, and a squeeze of lime. Ready in 30 minutes with bold Mexican flavors.

Quick garlic marinara sauce with canned Roma tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, and parsley. A 5-ingredient Italian tomato sauce ready in 20 minutes.

Chocolate mud frosting made by melting chocolate chips with milk in the microwave, then blending with corn syrup and vanilla. A glossy, fudgy four-ingredient frosting with no butter or powdered sugar.

A fragrant South Indian curry powder toasted from whole spices: cumin, black mustard, fenugreek, curry leaves, dried chili, and urad dal, ground fresh. Keeps for four months in a jar.

Fresh pico de gallo with tomatillos, serrano chiles, tomatoes, cilantro, and onions. A chunky Mexican salsa with a tart twist, perfect on fajitas.

Traditional English piccalilli with cauliflower, cucumber, pearl onions, and green tomatoes in a turmeric-mustard sauce. Homemade mustard pickle that improves with keeping.