Andy Baraghani

Blooming the spices—i.e., warming them in oil until they’re fragrant—awakens them and brings out a toasty flavor.

This version of the Levantine breakfast dish, known as fatteh hummus, is all about the contrast of textures and flavors: crunchy pita chips, creamy chickpeas, and tart yogurt.

This chicken and rice soup has everything we're craving, plus a big handful of crushed peanuts on top.

A creamy, flavorful noodle soup that you'll crave all year—the secret's in the laksa paste.

A restorative, Japanese-inspired chicken soup with only 10 ingredients.

Double the batch of spicy radish pickles from this raw shrimp recipe and use to top sticky ribs, grilled chicken, and fried rice.

The key to buying fish for this recipe is asking your fishmonger what she would eat raw. Red snapper or black bass are good subs for lean, mild fluke.

The green pear adds crunch and sweet-tart notes to this raw yellowtail preparation. A Granny Smith apple, Asian pear, or pineapple would do the same.

The best way to tackle this duck recipe is to braise the legs and make the relish in advance, then cook the breasts and crisp the legs on party night.

This recipe is a sweet, sour, and spicy take on the classic centerpiece ham, and the leftovers will taste awesome in a mini potato roll.

Cutting the meat into two smaller pieces reduces cooking time, but it’s the roast first, brown later “reverse sear” that’s game-changing in this recipe.

This decadent Italian-American classic is a combination of sweet lobster meat, spicy tomato sauce, and toothsome spaghetti.

The lime juice and oil will keep the avocado from turning brown, but it’s a good idea to make this pico de gallo recipe right before you serve it.

Not feeling the squares in this phyllo bites recipe? Use a pizza cutter to cut crackers into any shape you like!

When great dips get together, it’s magic. This recipe boasts all the beauty of a creamy onion dip with the irresistible appeal of queso.

Like any braised dish, this lamb shanks recipe is better when made one day ahead.

After a day of power-eating, all we want is this palate cleanser. It has tons of spice, zing, freshness—and vegetables that still have some crunch.

If you don’t have cinnamon and star anise in your pantry, don’t buy them just for this congee recipe. You can tweak the flavor profile by using black peppercorns and parsley stems, or fennel seeds and crushed red pepper flakes instead.

Stuffing salad still counts as salad, right?

This is an overstuffed, saucy little sandwich, but our pita trick in this recipe ensures that the pocket won’t implode while you’re eating it.