5,056 pasteli recipes

Harira, the traditional Moroccan soup with lamb, chickpeas, broad beans, saffron, and a velvety tomato-herb base thickened with an overnight flour paste. A slow-simmered bowl with deep, layered spice.

Sri Lankan fish mustard curry simmers fish in coconut milk with cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and turmeric, then finishes with a sharp ground mustard and lime paste. A tangy, aromatic curry ready in about 30 minutes.

Smoky, spicy black bean pesto made with ham hock, jalapeños, garlic, and cilantro stems. A thick, spreadable paste for tacos, chips, or as a bold side dish. Makes 3 cups.

South Indian sambhar made with toor dal, tamarind, coconut, and a ground spice paste of channa dal, dhania seeds, and dried red chiles. A tangy, protein-rich lentil stew for rice or dosa.

French-style praline truffles made with dark chocolate, egg yolks, butter, and hazelnut praline paste, rolled in grated chocolate. A classic Parisian chocolatier technique for silky, nut-scented truffles.

Rich Mughlai chicken curry with a ground almond, ginger, and garlic paste in a creamy yogurt and cardamom sauce. A royal Indian dish with whole spices and whipped cream.

Eggplant kottu with boiled eggplant and mashed chickpeas in a ground coconut-cumin-green chile paste, tempered with mustard seeds and bay leaves. A South Indian vegetarian comfort dish.

Moroccan baked fish with a cumin, paprika, and cayenne marinade pounded with garlic and fresh cilantro. A simple North African spice paste that transforms snapper or any white fish.

Boneless turkey roast rubbed inside and out with a bold garlic, rosemary, and black pepper paste. Unrolled, seasoned, retied, and roasted until the crust is fragrant and deeply spiced.

South Goan duck vindaloo with dried red chiles, garlic, ginger, cumin, and coriander in a vinegar-based curry sauce. A fiery, tangy braised duck curry marinated in spice paste.

Pla nung horapa: Thai steamed red snapper rubbed with a fiery paste of galangal, lemongrass, red chiles, and fish sauce, finished with Thai basil and kaffir lime leaves. Aromatic Thai seafood ready in 20 minutes of steaming.

Beef tenderloin slit lengthwise, packed with a savory mushroom and ham bread stuffing, then broiled and served with a brandied tomato gravy. The retro dinner-party showpiece that turns one tenderloin into a memorable plated entree.

Moist chocolate cake with hot coffee bloomed into the batter for deep cocoa flavor, paired with old-fashioned ermine icing whipped from a cooked flour-milk paste. Vintage two-layer cake done right.

Lazy oven turkey roasted in a covered pan with a thyme, rosemary, and sage herb paste. A low-effort method that steams the bird moist and browns at the end.

Plantain soup made from green plantains fried golden, crushed into a paste, and simmered in stock with fresh lime juice. A creamy, starchy Caribbean-style soup with no cream needed.

Lobster in tomato sauce with saffron rice: Mediterranean-style shelled lobster simmered in tomato, white wine, orange juice, fennel, and saffron, thickened with lobster coral and liver. A rustic European coastal seafood feast.