14 pastel recipes

Cute Easter egg cookies are tender cut-out cookies shaped with an egg cutter and decorated with smooth pastel icing. A fun Easter baking project for kids, made lighter with a sugar substitute in the dough.

Easter chip cookies loaded with pastel candy-coated chocolate pieces in a chewy brown sugar dough. Festive, colorful drop cookies the kids will love decorating Easter baskets with.

Fudgy chocolate brownie cookies topped with pastel-colored frosting and sugar crystals. Loaded with semisweet chocolate chips and finished with rainbow icing for a festive, party-ready treat.

Bold brisket marinade paste with Szechuan peppercorns, garlic, paprika, lemongrass oil, dry mustard, and red wine. Score the meat, rub it in, and marinate for several days for deep flavor penetration.

Ebi kimizushi: elegant Japanese stuffed-prawn sushi, with butterflied vinegar-marinated prawns filled with a silky, seasoned golden egg-yolk paste. A refined, bite-sized appetizer.

Thai red or green curry paste: a homemade aromatic blend of chilies, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, shrimp paste, ginger, and coriander. The from-scratch base for authentic Thai curries.

Pitlai is a South Indian lentil stew with bitter gourd (karela), chickpeas, tamarind, and a ground coconut-spice paste. A tangy, complex vegetarian curry with toor dal and jaggery.

Thai Kaeng Khua curry paste made with dried chilies, garlic, lemongrass, coriander root, and shrimp paste. A fragrant homemade paste that keeps 3-4 months refrigerated.

Pureed dates blended with water and vanilla extract into a thick, caramel-like paste. A natural sugar substitute for baking, smoothies, and oatmeal in 5 minutes.

Red beans tossed in a bold balsamic-prune dressing with fenugreek, coriander, and chili-garlic paste. A chilled bean salad bursting with sweet, tangy, spicy layers.

Fiery Thai chili fish sauce (nam pla prik) with serrano chiles, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and roasted chili paste. A no-cook condiment that livens up everything it touches.

Massaman curry paste: a homemade Thai-Muslim spice blend of dried chiles, lemongrass, galangal, shallots, and warm Indian-influenced spices. The flavor base for the country's most aromatic curry.

Homemade Thai green curry paste blitzed from fresh jalapenos, Hawaiian chilies, lemongrass, cilantro, garlic, shallots, and shrimp paste. A fiery, fragrant base that runs circles around any jarred version.

Fresh mint and coriander chutney with tamarind, green chili, and onion ground into a bright, tangy paste. A no-cook Indian condiment that keeps in the fridge for a week and pairs with samosas, kebabs, and chaat.