95 masala recipes

Authentic Italian tiramisu with zabaglione, mascarpone, and espresso. Marsala-based custard layered with rum-soaked sponge cake in wine glasses. Serves 8, chill 3 hours.

Mama's chicken cacciatore: paprika-dusted chicken browned in olive oil, then braised in dry Marsala with crushed plum tomatoes, carrots, celery, and peppers. Italian comfort food the way Madre made it.

Restaurant-style penne in a rich coconut-curry cream sauce with crab and broiled scallops, finished with spiced tomato chutney and fresh basil. A showstopper fusion dish.

An exotic and scrumptious dish made with potatoes, mixed vegetables and blanched almonds.

Frozen Christmas pudding made by folding brandy-soaked dried fruit with cocoa and orange zest into softened vanilla ice cream. A no-bake, make-ahead holiday dessert.

This recipe takes it's inspiration from the Parsee tradition of using fruit in cooking, and is deeply rooted in the Persian ancestry of many Indians and their food.

Indian hot spice mix dry-roasted with cumin, dried chiles, peppercorns, cardamom, cinnamon, mustard seeds, and fenugreek. A homemade garam masala with serious heat.

South Indian eggplant dip with tempered mustard seeds, cumin, tamarind, and fresh coconut. A smoky, tangy spread with roasted eggplant pureed with ground spice masala.

Calcutta pasta sauce blends Indian spices with the Italian tomato sauce concept: cumin, garam masala, ginger, jalapeno, and yogurt for an exotic East-meets-West pasta topper. Curry-style sauce.

Spicy fish pickle: crisp fried fish simmered in a tangy, chili-spiked vinegar masala, then stored to mellow into a fiery South Indian condiment for rice and roti.

Bhindi masala with deep-fried okra, golden onions, tomatoes, and turmeric. This Indian okra recipe eliminates sliminess by frying the okra crisp before finishing with spiced onions and tomatoes.

Indian-style fresh kachumber: tomato, red onion, fresh chili, and ginger tossed with lemon juice and salt. The crisp, tangy 5-minute side dish for channa masala, dal, or aloo parathas.

Pears Melba with Bosc pears poached in Marsala and dry wine syrup, served over vanilla ice cream with pureed raspberry sauce. A classic French dessert with elegant simplicity.

Italian tiramisu made with Pan di Spagna sponge cake, mascarpone zabaglione, espresso-brandy soak and whipped cream. Classic restaurant-style layered dessert.

Traditional Sicilian cannoli with wine-spiked fried shells and a chilled ricotta filling scented with cinnamon, vanilla, and candied citrus peel. Topped with glace cherries and powdered sugar.