PakistaniKarelay Pyaz (Bitter Gourd with Caramelised Onions)A dry-style side dish of crisp-edged bitter gourd rounds cooked with plenty of sweet golden onions, fennel and a sour finish of amchur. Salting first tames the bitterness.1 h 10 min·Serves 4
PakistaniBhindi Masala (Okra with Onion, Tomato and Dry Spices)Tender okra cooked with golden onions, tomatoes and ground spices until the masala clings to each pod. A dry-style vegetable curry that is easy to serve with roti at lunch.50 min·Serves 4
PakistaniAloo Gobi (Dry-Style Potato and Cauliflower Masala)A dry, gently spiced curry of potato and cauliflower with cumin, turmeric and fresh ginger. Easy to make in one pan and good with hot roti for a weekday lunch.45 min·Serves 4
PakistaniAloo Palak (Potato and Spinach Curry with Cumin and Ginger)Tender potatoes simmered in a smooth spinach and onion-tomato masala, finished with garam masala and lemon. A simple everyday sabzi that is ready in under an hour and suits roti or rice.55 min·Serves 4
PakistaniLahori Chanay (Tea-Simmered Chickpea Curry for Breakfast)A thick, deeply coloured chickpea curry in the style of Lahore's breakfast stalls, simmered with black tea and finished with ginger and lemon. Scoop it up with puri, kulcha or hot naan.1 h 30 min·Serves 4
PakistaniMash ki Daal (Split Black Gram with Ginger and Garlic Ghee Tarka)A thick, creamy daal of split black gram simmered with ginger and a light onion-tomato masala, then topped with sizzling garlic and cumin ghee. Rich, filling and good with roti or rice.1 h 15 min·Serves 4
PakistaniChana Daal with Onion-Tomato Masala and Garlic TarkaSplit chickpeas simmered until tender but still whole, then folded into a golden onion-tomato masala and finished with a sizzling garlic and cumin tarka. A hearty everyday lunch for rice or roti.1 h 30 min·Serves 4
PakistaniMoong Daal (Split Yellow Lentils with Garlic Tarka)A soft, gently spiced pot of split yellow moong lentils finished with a sizzling garlic and cumin tarka. Light, quick and easy to digest-friendly cooking for everyday lunches with rice or roti.45 min·Serves 4
PakistaniChana Pulao (Chickpea Pulao with Whole Spices and Fried Onions)A one-pot rice dish of tender chickpeas and basmati, cooked in the chickpea broth with browned onions, yogurt and whole spices. Filling, meat-free and good for a weekday lunch.1 h 55 min·Serves 4
PakistaniMatar Pulao (Green Pea Pulao with Cumin and Whole Spices)A fragrant, one-pot basmati pulao with sweet green peas, golden onions, cumin and whole spices. It's simple enough for a weekday lunch and good with raita.1 h 15 min·Serves 4
PakistaniAloo Anday (Potato and Boiled Egg Curry with Cumin and Green Chilli)Tender potatoes and turmeric-crisped boiled eggs in a light, cumin-scented tomato gravy. It is a budget-friendly lunch that comes together with pantry staples and goes well with roti or rice.1 h·Serves 4
Middle EasternShakshukaEggs poached in a peppery tomato sauce with cumin and paprika, served straight from the pan with warm bread.35 min·Serves 3
PakistaniAloo ParathaWhole-wheat flatbread stuffed with spiced mashed potato and griddled in ghee until crisp in spots.45 min·Serves 4
IndianPalak PaneerSpinach blanched and puréed with onion, garlic and ginger, then simmered with golden cubes of paneer.40 min·Serves 4
ItalianCreamy Mushroom PennePenne in a garlicky mushroom cream sauce with parmesan and black pepper. On the table in half an hour.30 min·Serves 4
GreekGreek SaladChunky tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives and a block of feta, dressed with olive oil and oregano.15 min·Serves 4