5,056 pasteli recipes

Moroccan dess b'l-besla: lentils simmered with caramelized onions, garlic, cumin and a pinch of cinnamon in a fragrant North African spice paste. Vegetarian, deeply spiced and ready in just over an hour.

Malaysian squid satay: tender squid skewers marinated in a freshly toasted cumin, coriander and chile spice paste with fish sauce, lime and brown sugar, grilled fast over a hot fire and served with a peanut-chili dipping sauce.

Chinese stuffed tofu pockets filled with seasoned ground pork, deep-fried until crusty, then simmered in chicken broth with dried mushrooms and fresh peas.

Jimmy's chili builds a from-scratch chili paste from whole dried chili pods, blended with browned beef, tomato sauce, oregano, cumin, and red wine. Slow-simmered for 3 hours into deeply spiced Texas-style chili.

Chinese stewed cauliflower in a creamy milk and stock sauce with straw mushrooms, Tientsin cabbage, and garlic. A wok-cooked vegetable dish with optional shrimp or crab.

Galveston rub: a wet Texas Gulf Coast paste of crushed garlic, cayenne, paprika, and lemon juice for poultry and pork. Four ingredients, ten minutes, makes about ⅓ cup.

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.

Homemade Jamaican jerk seasoning paste with allspice, scallions, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper, and fresh lime juice. Blend and rub on any meat for authentic island heat.

Turkey and rocket salad with macadamias tosses sliced turkey in a toasted macadamia-garlic paste dressing, served over peppery greens with chopped nuts and chives. A clever leftover-turkey makeover.

Indian-style okra with onions cooked in ghee with cumin, fennel seeds, turmeric, garam masala, and a blended onion-garlic-ginger paste. Vegetarian and richly spiced.

Jerk chicken: chicken parts marinated for 24 hours in a fiery Jamaican paste of scotch bonnets, allspice, thyme, cinnamon, and lime, then grilled over charcoal until the skin crackles. Island fire at its finest.

Thai-style seafood soup with shrimp, crab claws, mussels, and fish in a galangal-lemongrass-lime leaf broth built on a slow-cooked garlic-chili paste. Bold, sour, and aromatic.

Authentic Texas chili con carne with cubed beef (no beans), simmered in a paste of rehydrated ancho and pequin chiles. Slow-simmered for 90 minutes of deep, smoky heat.

Thai-style green curry made with chickpeas, a homemade green chili paste, apple juice, and evaporated skim milk. A lighter, vegetarian take on the takeout favourite, served over rice.

Roast turkey with chestnut stuffing rubbed in a butter-flour paste for golden, crispy skin. A Pennsylvania heritage recipe roasted low and slow until tender.

Rack of lamb glazed with rosemary-garlic Dijon paste, seared and roasted to medium rare. A French bistro classic served over white beans, elegant enough for a dinner party.