Vegan

The best plant-based substitute for sour cream? Plant-based cream cheese. When blended, it best approximates the flavor and texture of sour cream. Top the bowl with crispy fried shallots for additional brightness and texture.

Sinhalese unroasted curry powder is called amu thuna paha (literally, raw three-five). The name refers to the three to five spices that unroasted curry powder traditionally contains. The three essential spice seeds include cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds, and additional curry leaves and/or pandanus leaves, and cinnamon bark.

Whole cashews are the star of this comforting Sri Lankan curry. They simmer and soften enough to sip up luscious coconut milk, scented with ginger, cumin, turmeric, and fennel.

This no-knead loaf is made with a combination of whole grain rye and bread flours. Molasses and dark beer add warm notes that enhance the rich flavor of the rye.

This cucumber salad is a staple dish in my household. I am not sure why it is so satisfying, but I’m inclined to think it’s its simplicity.

Making noodles by hand is a fulfilling cooking project. The results are perfectly chewy noodles, even with ragged edges and imperfect lines.

Super fresh soy milk is easy to make at home and, frankly, tastes leagues better than the stuff sold in boxes.

Since Chinese eggplant has fewer seeds, it is noticeably less bitter than its fellow nightshades. This makes it the perfect ensemble player in this cast of heat, ginger, and garlic.

The campfire smokiness of the Lapsang Souchong (which is brewed strong, so that the tannins intensify) is a great counterpoint to sweet, tart stone fruit.

This cheesecake has a chocolatey rich mousse-like texture that is absolutely amazing.

These beans cook with a combination of herbs, alliums, and chiles—and salt is added right from the start. No pre-soaking means this just might be the easiest pot of beans you'll ever make.

Precooked, compact, and way more flavorful than store-bought frozen spinach, these portioned greens are ready to be thrown into soups and stews straight from the freezer or thawed in the fridge and tossed into omelets and pastas. Even simple side dishes of garlicky greens become infinitely faster when virtually all the prep work is done ahead of time.

You'll find these round chickpea flour and spiced potato fritters wherever Indian snack sellers congregate. Serve them with whatever chutney you like for dipping.

These crispy fritters are made with grated carrots, onions, and ginger, plus garam masala and chile. The dipping sauce has a hefty pour of bourbon, which adds warming depth.

This vegetable fritter recipe calls for onions, cabbage, potato, and carrot, but you can use any combination of vegetables you have.

Use this simple sauce for dumplings.

The combination of beets and ginger gives you a great spectrum of flavors, while crunchy toasted cashews and a mess of crispy sunchoke chips lend contrasting texture.