Notes about Recipes in this book

• Grilled hearts of romaine with chilli pumpkin seeds

  • Lsblackburn1 on January 17, 2021

    Nice sweet, sour, spicy flavors going on with this. The dressing recipe makes way more than you need, so I’ll have to figure out another use for it.

• Chickpea salad with date + tamarind dressing

  • bernalgirl on August 12, 2021

    I used RG chickpeas cooked with turmeric per the Heidi Swanson recipe, and skipped the dill because I was out. The tart-sweet dressing and the textures are outstanding.

• Green beans with preserved lemons + crème fraîche

  • bernalgirl on August 19, 2021

    What an outstanding combination of flavors! I wanted a warm side dish so I pan-charred the green beans and tossed them with the roasted shallots and lemony crème fraîche, otherwise I followed the recipe and the whole family enjoyed it. While there are multiple components, they are easily managed and this came together in the time it took to roast potatoes and grill some sausages.

  • spatterson88 on November 01, 2021

    This was delicious and I can’t wait to make it again. However, the shallots take much longer than the book suggests. Mine took 50 minutes.

  • gootenbeez on September 21, 2025

    When you have a lot of garden fresh green beans you start looking for interesting ways to serve them. This is an dish that looks like it took forever but is a quick throw together side if you use crispy shallots from the Asian grocer. (Subbed sour cream)

• Herb + paneer pulao

  • spatterson88 on April 05, 2021

    Will use the air fryer for the paneer next time. Otherwise it came together pretty easily.

  • bernalgirl on July 09, 2021

    Absolutely delicious, the herbs add a fresh counterpoint to the perfectly cooked, well-spiced basmati rice. This is a keeper, and went nicely with the masala shrimp and a simple tomato kachumber.

• Roasted cauliflower in turmeric kefir

  • DFarnham on December 30, 2020

    We liked this dish. Made exactly as written, using buttermilk. I would try keifer next time. My buttermilk was very thick, and I thought it was a tad heavy for the dish.

  • turnipgreens on January 30, 2021

    I used fresh full-fat buttermilk in place of kefir. Besan flour takes a while to cook out, it thickened quite a bit, so I had to add more buttermilk at the end to get a proper sauce. The final flavor of the sauce is a bit strange - only half the family liked it. Therefore I served the cauliflower and sauce separately. Final tadka is essential. This recipe will not make it to repeat status in our house.

  • grindabod on November 29, 2021

    I love how to me this felt like a nod to cauliflower in béchamel sauce, a dish from my childhood (one of those "vegetables" that all children love). The warm spices are really lovely in this, and thanks to the chickpea flour roux you can heat through your dairy without any fear of it curdling.

  • Trentinla on January 31, 2023

    it was a 'like' not a love. Tasted of cauliflower in a yogurt sauce. The tadka does make the recipe much better, so dont skip it. I did use a purple cauliflower which makes for an.. interesting.. final color (not recommended lol)

  • anothersarah on August 07, 2023

    This was ok but disappointing considering all his other recipes have been great. I used buttermilk and it took a while to incorporate which was not appealing to look at. The final dish was a bit heavy as others have noted but without the needed flavor to balance it out. There are better cauliflower and Sharma recipes out there.

  • paisleymonsoon on January 07, 2026

    This was absolutely delicious. The chickpea and buttermilk sauce was a revelation. All the flavors were amazing together. I only wish we'd started with a larger cauliflower!

• Roasted butternut squash + pomegranate molasses soup

  • lizbot2000 on November 07, 2020

    This was really good and easy. I liked the extra pizzaz from the pomegranate molasses and pepper.

  • lizbot2000 on November 17, 2020

    This was unexpectedly good for how simple it was to make. I used urfa chili flakes and I think they and the pomegranate did a lot of work toward making this more than just a standard blended squash soup.

  • darcie_b on January 18, 2021

    I only used half as much Worcestershire and thought it well balanced. I think more would have been too much. The pomegranate molasses adds a nice sour note.

  • dc151 on January 30, 2021

    We felt the Aleppo pepper overpowered the other flavors. Next time I'll cut back.

  • bernalgirl on April 07, 2021

    Outstanding, easy recipe with so much flavor, not at all sweet and cloying. Tips for next time: I made 1.5x the recipe to serve as a main, had about two cups leftover. Watch the Aleppo pepper, it can get spicy. And this soup benefits from a good 10-30” sit with the lid on to allow the flavors to develop before serving.

  • FJT on October 05, 2021

    I used white miso paste instead of the Worcestershire sauce to make it gluten-free. Just after this was first made it seemed wonderfully balanced in flavour. When I came to reheat it a few hours later the Aleppo pepper was the predominant flavour, so I would cut back on this next time or maybe not make it so far in advance. On the whole we enjoyed it though.

  • patioweather on November 30, 2022

    My partner and I usually love butternut squash soups but were not huge fans of this flavor combo.

  • dantullis on October 15, 2023

    I wish I could say I loved it, but I have to agree with others who said the Worcestershire and Aleppo pepper were overpowering.

  • Suitsme on December 13, 2024

    Loved the pomegranate molasses but the pepper was overpowering which masked the rest of the flavors. Next time I’ll cut the pepper in half.

  • lala_5bqe7s on January 04, 2026

    I made this and based on comments I didn’t add as much of the Aleppo pepper. But I think I could have added more. I used 1/8 tsp. I roasted all my vegetable. I also had some leftover red pepper so added that to the vegetables. I don’t think I used quite as much onion as in the recipe just because I only had about 3/4 of a white onion. I also ended up broiling the vegetables for a few minutes just to get some deeper browning. Overall, liked it a lot. I think it’s a lovely bright soup packed with flavor.

• Tomato aachari polenta tart

  • bernalgirl on July 25, 2021

    I was very excited about this recipe (summer tomatoes!), I loved the flavors but not the textures. The polenta stays too soft for my taste (and there’s too much of it). I did make the mistake of using a ceramic tart pan, perhaps the polenta would have developed a more crisp bottom with metal. But I stopped filling the pan with a full cup of prepared polenta left over, and the proportions still seemed wrong, with way to much bland polenta against not enough tomatoes and cheese. I might fiddle with this one, perhaps stirring some flour and seasoning into the polenta.

  • paisleymonsoon on January 07, 2026

    This was a flavor revelation. The amchur on top really made the whole dish. I wish I'd made 2. The polenta just takes way longer to cook down to a consistency that works with 3 cups of water in it. My whole family wants me to make it again.

• Spareribs in malt vinegar + mashed potatoes

  • Jojobuch on June 10, 2021

    Used cider vinegar, which worked well - ribs were very tender after the long time in the oven. I also liked the mashed potatoes, which felt lighter than the normal milk/butter variety I make. Adding the garlic and nigella seeds gave it some nice extra flavor. Will make again.

• Chouriço buns (Pao)

  • SheilaS on October 18, 2021

    This dough was very easy to work with. I used the chouriço recipe from Nik's previous book, Season. The filling was loose. I had a hard time getting it to hold together in balls and eventually twisted them tightly in plastic wrap. Once chilled thoroughly, they held together nicely and were easy to wrap with the dough.

• Pomegranate + poppy seed wings

  • allisonsemele on August 31, 2021

    Did not have the time or fridge space to dry the wings for more than a couple hours, so my wings were not perfectly crispy, but this was still a very satisfying and easy dinner. Sauce is delicious.

  • okcook on August 19, 2023

    The sauce is indeed excellent. Addictive. The other ingredients balance out the molasses.

  • VeesVersion on January 09, 2024

    I used a generous 1/2 tsp. of red pepper flakes in the sauce to suit my husband’s palate. Such a delicious combination of ingredients. Convection oven was heated to 450*F, reduced to 440*F once tray of overnight-in-fridge wings were placed to bake. Crispy perfection was reached after turning half way through 25 minutes bake time. Super delicious. Can’t wait to make it again in the Spring once the chives are ready to harvest.

  • bernalgirl on January 11, 2025

    This did not work for my family, unfortunately. Even cutting the sugar the profile was too sweet-and-sour for us. I did like the texture supplied by the poppy seeds.

• Lemon-lime mintade

  • Twysbeek on January 27, 2021

    Delightful! Double the recipe, it is super easy.

• Blueberry + Omani lime ice cream

  • molly17659 on April 19, 2026

    This is very good. I've made it with Kefir and with buttermilk. They are both delicious! I also use frozen blueberries.

• Warm kale, white bean + mushroom salad with chilli tahini

  • Lsblackburn1 on December 17, 2020

    Super easy to put together and very delicious! This made a nice light dinner served with bread and cheese. I used 2 bundles of kale (not sure about the weight), which seemed like the right ratio for the other ingredients.

  • catmummery on January 11, 2025

    v quick and easy lunch; v flavoursome; I might slightly decrease the amount of rice vinegar next time but love the combinations!

• Shaved Brussels sprouts salad

  • Twysbeek on January 23, 2021

    Plan on the shallots taking a lot longer to really caramelize and become crispy--closer to 1.5 hours.

  • Jojobuch on June 10, 2021

    This is a fine Brussel sprout salad but felt like nothing special.

• Collard greens, chickpea + lentil soup

  • lizbot2000 on November 17, 2020

    This was the least successful recipe I've tried from this cookbook, which is to say it was quite good but not at the level some of the others have been.

  • Crumbles on December 05, 2023

    My first cook from this book and it was excellent. What I call a good all round, nourishing mid-week staple. Will make again, soon.

• Chicken kanji

  • lizbot2000 on November 07, 2020

    I love congee/jook/kanji/etc and have made it regularly for years. This is the best version of it I've ever made, and I'll never go back to any of the other types. The spices were excellent, and the shallots and chutney really made it taste special. I made it for family who ate it all and very pointedly commented that I should make it again.

  • meggan on February 10, 2021

    This was great - the chutney really makes it. A couple things- I used boneless chicken thighs which was fine but I did pull them out let the rice cook more. Also, I don’t know how 1/2 a cup of rice is supposed to be enough for 4 people; It was barely enough for two. Last, maybe put the cloves and bay leaves in a bouquet garni bag situation. My husband swallowed a clove which led to some dramatic gagging and looks of reproach.

  • Dannausc on April 18, 2021

    Quite easy. Pretty decent.

• Roasted chicken thighs + vegetables

  • lizbot2000 on November 07, 2020

    This was very easy and fast, but took standard roasted chicken and vegetables to a higher level than the recipes I'd normally make. The almost burnt peas were really unexpectedly good. Next time I think I will take the chicken out and roast the veggies even longer, because I like them even more soft and charred.

  • Lsblackburn1 on March 18, 2021

    This is the kind of meal my son wishes I’d make for every dinner! Simple, classic and tasty. I usually don’t think I like frozen peas, but roasted with the marinade, they were delicious!

  • anya_sf on June 17, 2022

    There was plenty of marinade for 6 chicken thighs (2.5 lbs total). My potatoes weren't tiny, so I cut them in half and am glad I did, as they needed closer to 70 min to cook; I had to move them out from under the chicken to be sure they'd cook through. I used more peas (200 g) and have no regrets. Skipped the chile on top. My family enjoyed this quite a bit with bread to mop up the juices.

  • Crumbles on December 05, 2023

    My kinda recipe - simple, quick, tasty. We liked it so much that we had it again 4 days later.

  • jenburkholder on October 13, 2024

    This was... fine. Not great, not a repeat. Seemed like the chicken was overdone but then some of the potatoes were unevenly done even though I made sure none were under the chicken.

• Roasted delicata squash with herbed yogurt dressing

  • Lsblackburn1 on November 16, 2020

    Loved the dressing for this! The recipe makes a lot so it’s a good idea to serve it with a main that can use it. For me that was lamb meatballs and flatbread. I used jarred tamarind chutney. Excellent meal.

  • bernalgirl on March 21, 2025

    This dish is an explosion of flavor. I made the tamarind sauce the day before and the yogurt sauce while the squash was roasting. I hope to make this again at least one more time before the delicata squash goes out of season.

• Chicken hakka noodles (Indo-Chinese)

  • lizbot2000 on November 17, 2020

    This was really, really delicious. I didn't make the accompanying sauces, but I want to next time because I bet they make it even better. This is a great way to cram a ton of veggies into one meal without really noticing how veggie-heavy it is. I subbed bok choy (sliced white parts with the other veggies, green parts at the end) for the green beans, which I'm not a fan of in stir fries.

  • Delys77 on October 29, 2022

    Lovely little dish. I agree that it has a good balance of veggies, protein and starch. I didn't make the sauces but did add a bit of Maggi and sriracha when serving. Also grilled some chicken breasts that I put into a bit of a soy marinade. The combo of savoury, sour and spicy is really quite nice and I loved the cumin in this. Will repeat.

  • Stephenn31 on September 11, 2023

    Turned out really well and a great way to use up extra veggies in the fridge. The Indo-Sichuan sauce recommendation on the side was an excellent complement.

  • catmummery on December 11, 2023

    Like others didn't make the extra sauces but next time perhaps as can only enhance. Even without, this was super-delicious. I replaced green beans and carrots with asparagus and courgette as that's what i had. Also used left over rare roast beef instead of chicken - It was lovely. The pepper and anchur make all the difference. Loved it. and will repeat.

• Chocolate miso bread pudding

  • lizbot2000 on November 27, 2020

    This was good, but I thought it needed something. I ended up making a bourbon glaze for it, because that's the way we've always had bread pudding. I only had time to leave it for an hour, and I think my bread pieces were too big and there were too many of them. So if you give smaller pieces longer to soak in the liquid, you probably won't necessarily need a glaze to pour over it like I did.

  • pattyatbryce on April 26, 2021

    VERY rich. Needs ice cream or something to cut it. I liked it, but it's not an every day recipe.

  • Kelseyg33 on February 10, 2023

    This recipe is fantastic. It is not cloyingly sweet like so many bread puddings. It’s sumptuous and sophisticated. I have used local bread both times I’ve made this, once a country loaf with cranberries and walnuts and another time an orange chocolate brioche. Both worked out wonderfully, though the brioche absorbs the custard better. It is rich like a lava cake and I like to add some extra tart cherries to cut the richness. I can confirm another reviewers comment that it is indeed fantastic with vanilla ice cream, but I don’t personally think it’s a necessity. A friend of mine was putting the leftovers of this in the trunk of my car and kept dipping their hands into the pan, scooping out bread chunks and stuffing their face before the trunk closed on them. ?? It’s that good!

• Couscous with sesame-roasted carrots + feta

  • Yildiz100 on December 26, 2020

    Very nice. I would probably make this with coin sized carrots in the future so I can stir them into the couscous and serve this as a salad in a big bowl instead of plating individual sides. The plating as written is more for presentation than anything else. I was very surprised by how well these flavors complimented each other. I would also make this without the feta if I didnt have it on hand. The feta wasnt very noticeable. Made a half recipe of the dressing and it was plenty. As for the couscous, reduce water to 3/4 cup, and 1 clove of garlic is enough. Maybe roast extra garlic cloves next time. They are delicious!

  • meggan on February 08, 2021

    I used pearl couscous so this was probably gummier than it should have been but it was still delicious.

  • bernalgirl on February 19, 2021

    Absolutely great recipe, comes together easily and so much flavor and texture. Can't wait to make this again.

  • SheilaS on June 24, 2023

    So easy to cook the couscous and make the dressing while the carrots roast. I'd consider roasting some chickpeas along with the carrots and calling this a vegetarian main. I agree with an earlier poster that one clove of garlic is plenty for the couscous but I'd roast more with the carrots.

  • michalow on May 25, 2026

    Wonderfully balanced flavors. I included some flageolet beans, which added some green, some creaminess, and some protein. Toasted almonds or something else for a little bit of crunch would be nice, too.

• Paneer + beet salad with mango-lime dressing

  • justfoxie on January 08, 2021

    Definitely going into our regular rotation. Both the marinade and the dressing are really incredible.

  • potatooryam on April 15, 2021

    I loved the beet and paneer combination and might make this again without the arugula (I found the dressing just a little too heavy for the greens).

  • SheilaS on October 29, 2021

    Great twist on the classic beet salads with warm cheese. The marinade, following by grilling really adds great flavor to the paneer. That final sprinkle of amchur makes the salad look a bit dusty but adds a perfect punch of tartness.

  • anothersarah on July 20, 2023

    This was good and different than the average. The arugula, beets and paneer all go really well together. You could make half the dressing and still have plenty, and agree that it was a little heavy. I didn't use amchur but off to the store to buy some for next time.

  • dinnermints on April 03, 2024

    Refreshing and delicious. I found the mango dressing needed 1 tsp. salt and added an additional tablespoon of lime juice. Since my paneer is usually frozen in 3/4" or so cubes, I browned them in a nonstick pan rather than grill them. I also used less paneer per serving (closer to 2-3 oz per person), and cooked the beets in my instant pot rather than roasting. Served this over black barley, which was a wonderful texture and color contrast. I added some avocado, and next time might add some orange as well.

• Baked sweet potatoes with maple crème fraîche

  • darcie_b on January 18, 2021

    Excellent balance of flavors. Potatoes took longer to bake than the recipe stated.

  • dc151 on January 23, 2021

    This is my new favorite food! It was perfection. Subbed in sour cream and hazelnuts as suggested since they were on hand. Cooking time was perfect for me. This sauce was AMAZING! I actually can’t stop thinking about it

  • pattyatbryce on January 03, 2022

    I loved this! Husband did not. I'll definitely make again and eat all of the leftovers.

  • fprincess on March 11, 2024

    I wasn't sure I would like the dish with its unusual mix of ingredients (maple syrup, creme fraiche, and fish sauce?) and potential to be overly sweet, but I liked the final flavor and creativity of the dish. The maple syrup and butter enhance the flavor of the sweet potato while the creme fraiche, lime and scallions counteract its sweetness. The umami from the fish sauce made the dressing very crave-worthy. The nuts (I used marcona almonds) were great for texture. The dish needs a lot of small touches to get to its end result, which is very balanced and interesting. I am not sure I would make it again, but I am glad I tried it! ?? https://forums.egullet.org/topic/162630-cooking-with-nik-sharmas-the-flavor-equation/?do=findComment&comment=2418559

  • bernalgirl on March 07, 2024

    These are as good as everyone has said. I love the method, which results in wonderfully creamy flesh that mixes well with this umami-filled dressing. I will halve the maple syrup next time as the tubers are plenty sweet, and possibly increase the fish sauce.

  • Suitsme on January 06, 2025

    My new favorite way to cook sweet potatoes! The toppings/sauce were creative and tasty too. Who would think you that maple syrup and fish sauce would ever appear in the same recipe, but they work well together, especially with the lime. The cooking technique is very similar to my favorite fingerling potato recipe by Deborah Madison in Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Win!

• Black pepper chicken

  • darcie_b on January 18, 2021

    Delicious dish that is more than the sum of its parts. It took longer to cook than the recipe states.

  • TrishaCP on October 23, 2021

    I thought this was exquisite. This recipe really highlighted the floral and heat notes of the pepper and the earthiness of the turmeric. (The recipe also uses fennel and coriander, but they were more background players.) I did marinate overnight, and I would add that I think you should use the freshest and best quality spices that you can for this one. I agree with Darcie that the cooking times were off. I doubled the time for cooking the onions, as well as the chicken. (And the onion could have gone longer.)

  • anya_sf on January 22, 2022

    Easy to make and quite good. Like TrishaCP and darcie_b I also cooked the onions and chicken a bit longer. Oddly, the coconut milk got thinner as it cooked rather than thicker. I added cooked cauliflower florets at the end, which also tasted great in the sauce; next time I may add something green like baby spinach. The recipe doesn't call for lime, but the photo shows one, so I squeezed one into the sauce at the end and liked the extra flavor.

  • amandaeats on January 28, 2022

    Found this by using the recipe search feature on EYB. I wouldn’t have given the recipe a 2nd thought when I read the book, but I had all the ingredients and gave it a shot - and I AM GLAD! This was easy, affordable, and more importantly, delicious. Will be making again. I also recommend cooking the onions and chicken longer than outlined

  • okcook on February 11, 2025

    I made half a recipe. This called for 400 grams sliced onion. This a lot. One could easly use half. Easy recipe and concur with those who say the onions need way more cooking. I cooked mine for 15 minutes then added the chicken to summer until done. Good flacours. Quite mild so of course i had to add some chili.

  • DFarnham on August 13, 2024

    Great dish, although we did tweak it a bit by adding a couple Thai chilies, more cracked pepper and salt. Agree with everyone that the dish does take longer. Our sauce also got runny so we scooped out the chicken and cranked up the heat to reduce it a bit. Tossed it back in and served over rice.

• Polenta kheer

  • leilx on February 11, 2021

    Made this for breakfast and it was delicious. changes: I used regular cardamom, and a combination of milk and cream instead of evaporated milk. It was enough for several breakfasts for me and reheated easily.

• Saffron swirl buns with dried fruit

  • leilx on February 11, 2021

    Fantastic! Like a cinnamon bun but different flavors. I used different fried fruits based on what I had around the house. For the final rise, I put it in the fridge overnight and then let it sit out awhile in the morning. The golden syrup adds a nice touch of sweetness.

• Shepherd's pie with kheema + chouriço

  • meggan on February 20, 2021

    This is fantastic! I didn’t have chorizo and just used garlic sausage.

  • spvla on February 15, 2026

    Saved time and effort by not cutting the carrots into matchsticks. Didn’t have any ill effect on the overall dish. Delicious and great for entertaining.

• Stir-fried cabbage

  • bernalgirl on March 03, 2021

    Very simple and delicious.

• Goan shrimp, olive + tomato pulao

  • bernalgirl on March 20, 2021

    This has promise but was a bit bland. Next time I’d use the whole can of tomato paste and definitely more salt. If do that before changing the flavor profile with other spices. Easy enough, very methodical and only one pot and a sheetpan, so if you have a solid hour this is a reasonable weeknight option. Note that the recipe doesn’t say when to add the frizzled onions but they were great on too with black olives and green onions, and the black olives were the anchor food that hooked my 8 yr old.

• Masala cheddar cornbread

  • bernalgirl on April 07, 2021

    I made the mistake of using coconut oil, which was a bit cloying and did not caramelize the way butter would. Overall this is interesting but does not replace our favorite, the buttermilk cornbread from Jubilee, which is both light and well-edged from the butter and cast iron pan. May try this recipe in a pan to see what happens. I halved the recipe, which worked fine as all ingredients are given in easily split quantities and no one here loves leftover cornbread *that* much, but the full recipe could be great for a crowd. It’s very moist so should travel well.

  • BrendaD1962 on April 23, 2022

    I too halved this recipe and baked it in an 8-inch square pan. We thought it was ok, but we prefer our cornbread a bit sweeter. I think we prefer a more traditional cornbread, but I’m glad I tried it.

• Beef chilli fry with pancetta

  • Lsblackburn1 on April 20, 2021

    I really liked this. Relatively easy week-night dinner served over white rice. One red chili was the perfect amount of heat for me.

  • fprincess on March 20, 2024

    It had a great flavor but lots of issues. First it took much longer than described in the recipe, and I wasn't planning to spend that long on a weeknight (almost 2 hours, beginning to end). It was also quite dry. Browning cubes of cubes of raw potatoes in a pan does NOT work. Next time I would do this step in the oven after rinsing the diced potatoes to get rid of the starch, which is my usual procedure. The onions could have used some extra cooking. Lastly, I didn't love the fact that the chillies were only added as a garnish, sprinkled on top. Good flavors, but would need a lot of tweaks to work as a recipe. https://forums.egullet.org/topic/162630-cooking-with-nik-sharmas-the-flavor-equation/?do=findComment&comment=2419358

• Garlic + ginger dal with greens

  • damjih on May 06, 2021

    Made with spinach instead of kale, but this has almost zero flavour, kind of odd with this book name. Ive made similar recipes before that have more spices and tomatoes or something added too.

  • paisleymonsoon on January 07, 2026

    This one was just disappointing. The flavor was lacking. I reluctantly ate the leftovers since nobody else would.

• Masala shrimp

  • bernalgirl on July 09, 2021

    So easy and so flavorful, this is a great appetizer as he describes but it’s also a favorite dinner for family and can be thrown together on a weeknight.

  • VineTomato on October 17, 2021

    Delicious and easy to make. Served with gunpowder fries and goats cheese dip.

  • anothersarah on July 29, 2023

    This was quick and fantastic. I added some peppers to the leftover marinade and sautéed them separately. Served with couscous and made it a meal.

• Blistered shishito peppers with bonito flakes

  • mjes on September 11, 2021

    Blistered shishitos is a common recipe -- the soy sauce and bonito flakes enhance the peppers. Recommended.

• Gunpowder oven "fries" with goat cheese dip

  • VineTomato on October 17, 2021

    Nik calls for russet potatoes, which were not available. I used plain old white potatoes and they didn't crisp up, we were left with some soggy old fries - not the best. In South Africa you would say a 'slap chip', often sought out! The flavours were good and the goats cheese dip really good. Mr VT was not a fan of the rather overwhelming ghee smell while cooking but liked the end result (minus the soggy texture). If I make this again I'll go for Kind Edwards and avo oil which I know makes a good oven chip!

• Manchow soup

  • Yildiz100 on November 15, 2021

    Ok, but not super special. Would make it again if I had everything on hand, but probably wouldnt go out of my way. Used Napa cabbage for the cabbage. Needed a bit more water to fully submerge veg. Otherwise, followed recipe exactly.

• Honey + turmeric chicken kebabs with pineapple

  • anya_sf on July 02, 2022

    Marinated 7 hours, the chicken was plenty flavorful and the lime juice was starting to affect the texture, so I wouldn't have marinated them longer. Instructions say to cut the pineapple, peppers, and onion into quarters, but that has to be an error; I cut them into cubes, same as the chicken. As usual with meat+vegetable skewers, the meat was slightly overdone and the vegetables slightly underdone, but not so much we didn't enjoy them. The skewers were quite tasty.

  • BrendaD1962 on November 03, 2024

    This is one of our favourite recipes to make on the grill. We love these kebabs so much. So flavourful. I’ve made this recipe multiple times.

• Grilled spiced chicken salad with amchur

  • anya_sf on September 08, 2022

    I just made the chicken to serve with a different salad. Marinated 5 hrs, the flavor was good; there was enough marinade for 1.5 lbs chicken. After grilling, I sprinkled the chicken with amchur (just 1 tsp) and lime juice. Very tasty.

• Fried eggs with masala hash browns + seared tomato green peppercorn chutney

  • leannerfiedoro on January 27, 2023

    https://more.ctv.ca/food/recipes/fried-eggs-with-masala-hash-browns.html

• Cherry + pepper granola bars

  • anothersarah on August 07, 2023

    Pretty tasty and a bit addictive. Note the recipe says it makes 32 bars that are 2" x 1" which is ridiculous. I got 12 standard sized bars from a 8' x 8' dish.

  • Suitsme on February 10, 2025

    These are awesome! Crunchy, nutty. Pay attention to the temperature of the syrups.

• Cucumber + roasted corn salad

  • okcook on August 19, 2023

    So good. Nice textures. It says it makes enough for four. It was so good I ate half of it myself!

  • Astrid5555 on August 29, 2021

    Excellent, barbecued my corn and substituted brown mustard seeds for black ones. Delicious dressing, will be making again as a side for grilled fish!

  • meginyeg on August 10, 2025

    This was really good. We will definitely make it again.

• Chickpea, spinach + potato "samosa pie"

  • mcvl on December 07, 2020

    Lacking ingredients and drive, I made a reduced version of the recipe using only spinach, chickpeas, and the flavorings as a sauce for couscous. Quite good, I would make it again this way. I am, however, scandalized at Sharma's tolerance for canned chickpeas. Cooking dried chickpeas from scratch is easy, and they have better texture than canned.

  • bernalgirl on February 19, 2021

    Comes together easily, can cook the potatoes in advance to make day-of prep easier. I would follow others who suggest upping the spices -- texturally this is great but potatoes and chickpeas absorb a lot of flavor. My first time workin with phyllo and it came together beautifully! I served it with store-bought tamarind-date and cilantro chutneys.

  • Delys77 on January 31, 2022

    I must have done something quite wrong as this wasn't a winner for us. The combination of chickpea, potato and phyllo was a bit too starchy and the seasoning was insufficient. Not popular at our house.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2021

    This really did taste like a samosa. I omitted the fresh chili so there was just a bit of heat from the chili powder. Increased the spinach to 8 oz. Unfortunately, my phyllo had been in the freezer too long and the sheets stuck together a lot. I was able to cobble together scraps for the bottom, then some mostly full sheets for the top. Funnily, the smaller bits and pieces actually gave the top the desired ruffled appearance. After 45 minutes the pie was just light brown on top; next time I'd bake it a little longer.

  • pattyatbryce on January 13, 2022

    We really liked this and I was surprised how easy it was. Use a bit less butter/oil on the lower phyllo layers so you don't run out on top where the texture is crunchiest.

  • Lsblackburn1 on January 18, 2021

    Loved the flavors in this! I wish I’d made a cilantro chutney to serve with it (just like I have with samosas). Went really well with the mulligatawny.

  • Twysbeek on January 31, 2021

    Doubled all the spices, added an extra potato. Very easy, huge payoff. Served with tamarind and date chutney (just buy pre-made date syrup)

  • dc151 on January 21, 2021

    I loved the flavors of this. Really delicious. I doubled the filling since I was feeding six people, but didn't double the phyllo, which resulted in the phyllo ratio too low. I think I'll make two next time, or skip the phyllo altogether. It wasn't difficult to make, but it was time-consuming, taking 2 3/4 hours total.

• Goan yellow fish curry (Caldine)

  • Astrid5555 on February 21, 2022

    Lovely, mild curry, perfect for the whole family, good weeknight dinner option.

  • bernalgirl on August 30, 2021

    This very mild curry comes together easily and results in a delicately flavored sauce snd beautifully tender cod. It was too mild for my family, however.

  • ezwriternc on September 04, 2024

    Fantastic curry. I didn’t have tamarind paste so I used brown sugar and lime juice at the end. I used ground spices. i added cherry tomatoes and spinach. This is a fantastic, effortless legal that is sure to impress.

  • Lsblackburn1 on June 06, 2021

    Lovely delicate flavors in this. Served with basmati rice and naan. Easy to make, too.

  • allisonsemele on July 19, 2021

    Upped the ginger slightly and served with rice. I think this would be good with shrimp, too.

  • Cathyschuh on September 17, 2021

    This is fabulous and flexible. Added cherry tomato. Made it with flounder (delicious), then the next day used the leftover curry sauce, added some coconut milk to thin it and threw in shrimp and tofu. It was like a brothy curry soup over rice.

  • sasha_5xhq8m on November 27, 2025

    Adding lime leaf compliments the curry.

• Lamb koftas in almond gravy

  • peacheater on February 06, 2026

    This actually came together pretty well in the end though I was skeptical in the middle. I think I would go easier on the turmeric next time - I feel it can often take over curries. The recipe as laid out is a bit cryptic - e.g. an onion is called for to be added to the kebabs but it’s not specified if it’s to be chopped / grated etc (I food processored it, along with the chili).

  • catmummery on September 01, 2025

    yum. the kofta are really juicy, love baking them instead of frying. The almond sauce was whizzed in the blender and silky smooth. will be making again

  • stepharama1 on February 02, 2022

    The almond gravy was a great addition to the kofta. I whirred it in the blender and loved the texture. I used beef but I think lamb would be better; however, the koftas were still delicious. I added a bit of lemon zest and cilantro to garnish.

• Braised cabbage with coconut

  • bernalgirl on December 03, 2024

    Loved this recipe, I used dried unsweetened shredded coconut and loved the silky texture of the cabbage with the heat of the chile and the light mustard seed and coconut flavors. This was excellent with Sambal-spice marinated and grilled chicken legs.

  • Yildiz100 on June 21, 2022

    This is fine, but I think a pinch of sugar wouldn't go amiss. I used dried coconut since that's all I can get my hands on and it was fine.

  • DFarnham on December 30, 2020

    This was a miss for me. The cabbage/onion mixture was just okay. The toppings of sliced fresno, cilantro and shredded coconut held all the flavor. Not a repeat.

  • Stephenn31 on March 02, 2023

    Delicious and easy (I didn’t add the coconut, as I’m not a big fan of it generally)

• Tamarind-date chutney

  • bernalgirl on March 21, 2025

    So good and so easy I hope never to buy this again!

  • bernalgirl on March 21, 2025

    So good and so easy I hope never to buy this again!

• Spiced fruit salad

  • bernalgirl on August 12, 2024

    The flavors of chile, toasted fennel, black pepper, slightly sulfurous black salt and pomegranate molasses predominate here, to excellent effect. I had various plums do just used that, diced small and served with seeded bread and goat cheese. It was an unexpected hit at a brunch, although a bit sweet to my taste. Next time I’ll reduce the maple syrup by half, adding more as needed.

• Chicken coconut curry

  • FJT on March 19, 2023

    This was fine, but not memorable

  • Dannausc on April 18, 2021

    Good and tasty

  • Twysbeek on June 17, 2022

    Made with organic dried coconut from Trader Joe's, added a 6oz box of coconut cream to help blend paste (was fairly dry/grainy). When simmering added 1 cup of chicken stock to keep from getting too dry. Came out great!

• Crab tikka masala dip

  • meggan on June 02, 2021

    Woah - so good!

  • maestra on February 08, 2021

    This is fantastic. I used chopped shrimp that I had in the freezer instead of crab, but you don't need a seafood or protein at all. The base is a delicious spread. We ate so much of this and an avocado-spinach dip from Bryant Terry's Vegetable Kingdom on Superbowl Sunday that the rest of our planned meal was either canceled or postponed by hours. Excellent party dish, when we have parties again.

  • patioweather on June 21, 2021

    It was good but I still felt like it mostly just tasted like cream cheese with crab. Maybe my spices are too old.

  • Lsblackburn1 on June 19, 2021

    Delicious! I used a Spanish smoked paprika and ancho chili powder. Everyone loved this.

• Hibiscus (ginger pepper) refresher

  • Yildiz100 on May 07, 2021

    Too sweet. Needed lemon and extra water to balance it out. I prefer making hibiscus drinks where the entire thing is infused with hibiscus rather than this way, where you make a concentrate and then dilute it. Won't drink the rest of this as the book intended, but I would flavor a cocktail with it.

• Dal makhani

  • Lepa on April 06, 2021

    This was pretty good. Not my favorite dal but we liked it. I liked the inclusion of kidney beans, as the mixture made a nice texture. We used 1/2 the ginger and garlic, per the recipe, because we were cooking for children and didn't want it to be too "fiery." I think we could have used a bit more spice so maybe I'll use 3/4 next time. The ingredient list on EYB, strangely enough, is not accurate and not at all like the recipe.

  • paisleymonsoon on January 07, 2026

    The urad beans had hard pieces. So, I kept thi king I was getting a rock. These were just okay. It was better with creme fraiche also served on top. Adding the tadka felt like way too much fat. I probably won't make it again.

• Indo-Sichuan sauce

  • TonyInSeattle on April 15, 2021

    Very good! We use the leftovers on sandwiches or on roasted cauliflower.

  • Stephenn31 on September 11, 2023

    Wow! Really an excellent sauce and easy to put together.

• Roasted eggplant raita

  • Lsblackburn1 on May 30, 2021

    I doubled this because I thought one eggplant would not be enough and now I have a ton of leftovers! Not a problem because this was very delicious as part of a meze spread. Served with flatbread and pita chips - both great vehicles for the spread.

• Blistered Padrón peppers with bonito flakes

  • mooo42 on September 28, 2025

    Would do with shishito variation. Padrons were crazy hot

• Semolina coconut cookies (Bolinhas)

  • nutrica6 on December 25, 2023

    I love these cookies. They remind me of a coconut macaroon with a nice cardamom flavor. I used a fork to get the design on top.

• Burnt shallot dip

  • jenburkholder on February 08, 2021

    I quite enjoyed this, although I don't know that anyone else was that taken with it. On the tart side.

• Homemade date syrup

  • Happykikkers on July 07, 2024

    Definitely a trust-the-progress kind of recipe. I used Deglet Nour dates and was basically worried the whole time it was a big mistake as it wasn’t a thick sticky pulp or a caramel colour after soaking and blending. But everything turned out fine. It did seem a bit too watery before blending and I had to discard some of it (after overloading the food processor, getting date-water everywhere and having to deep clean the kitchen). It’s currently cooling down, so will update later with how it tastes. Update: thickened nicely and love the (not too sweet) taste!