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Spanish Chicken Paella
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⏱ 1 hr
👤 6
🧺 Ingredients
- 400g (2 cups) paella rice (Bomba or Calasparra)
- 600g (1.3 lbs) chicken thighs bone-in
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 red bell peppers diced
- 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes
- 1.2 liters (5 cups) warm chicken broth
- Generous pinch saffron threads soaked in 3 tbsp hot water
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 100g (1 cup) frozen peas
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon wedges and fresh parsley to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large paella pan or wide skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika. Brown all over 4-5 minutes per side. Remove.
- In same pan, cook onion and bell pepper 8 minutes until softened. Add garlic 1 minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes and cook 5 minutes.
- Add rice and stir to coat in the tomato mixture for 2 minutes.
- Pour in warm broth and saffron water. Stir once, then do not stir again — this is critical for paella.
- Nestle chicken pieces into the rice. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low for 18-20 minutes.
- Add peas in last 5 minutes. At the end, increase heat briefly to create the socarrat (crispy bottom) — listen for a faint crackling.
- Remove from heat, cover with foil and rest 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.
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Japanese Chicken Oyakodon
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⏱ 25 min
👤 2
🧺 Ingredients
- 300g (10 oz) chicken thigh diced into 2cm pieces
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- Sauce: 240ml (1 cup) dashi stock (or chicken broth)
- Sauce: 3 tbsp soy sauce
- Sauce: 3 tbsp mirin
- Sauce: 1 tbsp sake (or dry sherry)
- Sauce: 1 tbsp sugar
- 300g (1½ cups) Japanese short grain rice cooked
- Green onions and nori for serving
- Shichimi togarashi (optional)
👨🍳 Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions. Keep warm.
- In a small bowl, mix dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar for the sauce.
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sauce mixture and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add sliced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened.
- Add chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook 4-5 minutes until almost cooked through.
- Pour beaten eggs over the chicken and onion in a circular motion. Cover immediately.
- Cook for exactly 90 seconds until eggs are just set but still glossy and slightly runny — this is the signature texture.
- Slide immediately over a bowl of warm rice. Garnish with green onions and a sprinkle of togarashi.
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Indian Vegetable Biryani
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⏱ 1 hr
👤 6
🧺 Ingredients
- 400g (2 cups) basmati rice soaked 30 min and drained
- 2 cups mixed vegetables (potato carrot peas cauliflower)
- 2 onions 1 sliced thin 1 diced
- 3 tomatoes diced
- Spices: 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp biryani masala
- 1 cup yogurt
- 4 garlic cloves and 1 tbsp ginger minced
- Saffron soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk
- 2 tbsp ghee plus oil
- Fresh mint and cilantro
- Fried onions for garnish
👨🍳 Instructions
- Parboil soaked rice with whole spices (bay leaves, cardamom, cloves) in salted water until 70% cooked — grains should have a hard core. Drain.
- Caramelize sliced onion in oil until deep golden brown and crispy. Set aside for garnish.
- Cook diced onion in ghee until golden. Add garlic and ginger 2 minutes. Add all ground spices and cook 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes and cook down 10 minutes. Add vegetables and yogurt. Cook covered 15 minutes.
- In a heavy pot, layer: half the rice, all the vegetable mixture, remaining rice. Drizzle saffron milk over top.
- Dot with ghee and scatter mint leaves. Cover tightly with foil then lid.
- Cook on very low heat (dum method) for 25-30 minutes.
- Fluff gently with fork, folding layers together minimally. Garnish with fried onions and cilantro.
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Lebanese Mujaddara
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⏱ 45 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 200g (1 cup) long grain rice
- 200g (1 cup) green or brown lentils
- 2 large onions thinly sliced into rings
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 600ml (2½ cups) water or vegetable broth
- Greek yogurt and fresh parsley to serve
- Cucumber tomato salad to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- In a large pot, bring lentils to a boil in the water. Simmer 15 minutes until almost but not fully tender. Do not drain — the lentils absorb the water.
- While lentils cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until deeply caramelized and almost crispy. The patience here creates the dish.
- Reserve half the caramelized onions for topping. Add the rest to the lentils along with the rice, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, and salt.
- Stir well. Cover tightly and cook on low heat for 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Remove from heat and steam 10 more minutes.
- Fluff with a fork. Taste and season generously.
- Serve topped with crispy caramelized onions and alongside yogurt and a simple salad.
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Thai Pineapple Fried Rice
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⏱ 20 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 400g (2 cups) cold cooked jasmine rice
- 1 small pineapple or 1 can (400g) pineapple chunks drained
- 200g (7 oz) shrimp or diced chicken
- 3 eggs beaten
- 1 onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 green onions sliced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 50g (⅓ cup) cashews toasted
- Fresh cilantro and lime wedges to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- If using whole pineapple, halve it and scoop out flesh, leaving shells as serving bowls. Dice the pineapple flesh.
- Heat oil in a large wok over high heat. Cook shrimp or chicken 3-4 minutes until cooked. Remove.
- Add onion to wok, stir-fry 2 minutes. Add garlic and curry powder, cook 30 seconds.
- Push to sides. Scramble eggs in the center until just set, then mix with onion.
- Add cold rice, breaking up clumps. Stir-fry over high heat pressing rice against the pan for 2-3 minutes.
- Add pineapple chunks, cooked protein, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Toss 2 minutes.
- Stir in green onions and toasted cashews.
- Serve in pineapple shells if using, garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.
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Persian Jeweled Rice (Morasa Polow)
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⏱ 1 hr 15 min
👤 6
🧺 Ingredients
- 400g (2 cups) basmati rice soaked 1 hr
- Pinch saffron soaked in 3 tbsp hot water
- 3 tbsp butter or ghee
- Jewels: 80g (½ cup) dried barberries or dried cranberries
- Jewels: 60g (½ cup) pistachios roughly chopped
- Jewels: 60g (½ cup) slivered almonds toasted
- Jewels: 50g (⅓ cup) pomegranate arils
- Jewels: 2 tbsp dried apricots sliced
- Orange zest from 1 orange
- 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp cardamom
- 2 tbsp rose water
- 1 tsp salt
👨🍳 Instructions
- Parboil soaked rice in plenty of salted water 7-8 minutes until just barely tender with a hard core. Drain.
- Soak dried barberries in water 5 minutes to plump. Sauté briefly in 1 tsp butter. Set aside.
- In a large non-stick pot, melt remaining butter. Mix 2 large spoons of rice with saffron water. Place this as a layer on the bottom of the pot — this forms the golden tahdig (crispy crust).
- Heap remaining rice in a pyramid shape on top. Poke 5-6 holes with the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Cover with a clean towel under the lid to absorb steam. Cook on medium-low 30-35 minutes.
- Carefully flip onto a serving platter so golden crust faces up.
- Mix all the jewels with orange zest, cinnamon, cardamom, and rose water.
- Scatter jewels over the rice. Serve immediately — this dish is as beautiful as it is delicious.
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Italian Arancini (Rice Balls)
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⏱ 1 hr
👤 16 balls
🧺 Ingredients
- 300g (1½ cups) arborio rice
- 1 liter (4 cups) warm chicken broth
- 1 onion finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 60ml (¼ cup) white wine
- 50g (½ cup) Parmesan grated
- 2 tbsp butter
- Filling: 100g (3.5 oz) mozzarella cubed, 50g (2 oz) ham diced
- Coating: 2 eggs beaten, 150g (1½ cups) breadcrumbs
- Oil for deep frying
- Marinara sauce to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- Make risotto: sauté onion in butter, add rice, toast 2 minutes. Add wine, then broth ladle by ladle stirring constantly. After 18-20 minutes remove from heat, stir in Parmesan. Season, cool completely — must be cold to shape.
- Combine mozzarella and ham for filling.
- Wet your hands. Take 2 tbsp cold risotto, flatten into a disk. Place a cube of mozzarella and bit of ham in center. Enclose in risotto and roll firmly into a ball.
- Roll each ball in beaten egg, then breadcrumbs, coating thoroughly. Press firmly.
- Heat oil to 175°C (350°F). Fry arancini in batches for 4-5 minutes until deep golden brown all over.
- Drain on paper towels 2 minutes.
- Serve hot — when you bite in the mozzarella should stretch dramatically. Serve with warm marinara.
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Korean Bibimbap
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⏱ 35 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 400g (2 cups) short grain rice cooked
- 200g (7 oz) ground beef or bulgogi beef
- 4 eggs
- Vegetables: 1 zucchini julienned, 1 carrot julienned, 100g spinach, 100g bean sprouts
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- Gochujang sauce: 3 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- Sesame seeds and green onions
👨🍳 Instructions
- Cook each vegetable separately in a little sesame oil and garlic until just tender but still vibrant. Season each with salt. Set aside in individual piles.
- Cook beef with soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, and garlic until browned and caramelized.
- Make gochujang sauce: mix all ingredients until smooth.
- Fry eggs sunny-side-up until whites are set but yolk is still runny.
- Divide warm rice between 4 bowls.
- Arrange vegetables and beef in sections around the bowl — presentation matters here.
- Place a fried egg on top of each bowl.
- Add a large spoonful of gochujang sauce in the center. Sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions.
- To eat: mix everything together vigorously so the egg yolk coats everything.
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Middle Eastern Kabsa
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⏱ 1 hr 15 min
👤 6
🧺 Ingredients
- 400g (2 cups) long grain basmati rice
- 1 whole chicken cut into pieces (or 4 bone-in thighs)
- 2 onions diced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tomatoes diced
- Kabsa spice blend: 1 tsp cumin, cinnamon, coriander, allspice, cardamom, black pepper
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 bay leaves
- 800ml (3½ cups) water
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 50g (⅓ cup) raisins
- 50g (⅓ cup) toasted almonds
- 3 tbsp ghee or butter
- Fresh parsley and lemon to serve
👨🍳 Instructions
- Season chicken pieces with kabsa spices and salt.
- Brown chicken in ghee over high heat 4-5 minutes per side until golden. Remove.
- In same pot, cook onions until golden, 8 minutes. Add garlic 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes.
- Add diced tomatoes, remaining spices, and bay leaves. Cook 5 minutes.
- Return chicken to pot. Add water to cover. Bring to boil, simmer covered 30 minutes.
- Remove chicken. Measure the broth — you need 700ml for the rice. Add water if needed.
- Bring broth to boil, add washed rice and raisins. Stir once, cover, simmer 18 minutes on low.
- Rest 10 minutes off heat. Arrange rice on large platter, top with chicken, garnish with toasted almonds and parsley.
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Chinese Claypot Rice
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⏱ 45 min
👤 4
🧺 Ingredients
- 400g (2 cups) jasmine rice
- 500g (1.1 lbs) chicken thighs diced
- 2 Chinese sausages (lap cheong) sliced
- 3 mushrooms soaked and sliced
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp ginger minced
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- Green onions and ginger for serving
- Dark soy sauce for drizzling
👨🍳 Instructions
- Rinse rice until water runs clear. Add to a heavy clay pot or Dutch oven with water (1:1.2 rice to water ratio). Soak 20 minutes.
- Marinate chicken with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, cornstarch, garlic, ginger, and Shaoxing wine for 20 minutes.
- Bring rice to a boil uncovered. Reduce to lowest heat. Lay marinated chicken, sausage slices, and mushrooms on top of the rice.
- Cover tightly. Cook on very low heat for 25 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Turn off heat. Let steam 10 more minutes.
- For the claypot crust: in the last 2 minutes, briefly increase heat to create a crispy bottom layer.
- Drizzle dark soy sauce around the edges, scatter green onions. Bring the whole pot to the table to serve.