Main Course

This is one of those dishes I make at home a lot because it relies mainly on store-cupboard ingredients and uses an ingredient that I always keep in the freezer for emergencies: frozen raw peeled prawns. It really takes no time at all to throw together and works especially well with orzo, but you can use any pasta you like.

A dish I was tasked with making when I was working in my first restaurant job at The Dorchester Hotel. Needless to say, the skill of making gnocchi has stayed with me and they often feature on the menus I write. The key is to not overwork the potatoes when mashing: you need it to be dry and floury to give you the best chance of success. Don’t be disheartened even if you fail: there is a lesson in that.

Don’t burn the sage: burn the butter, add the sage and the aromas will create a wonderful sense of calm in your home.

Some salads are supporting actors; this salad is a star. It’s worth your attention and stomach space on a table full of other foods— yes, even (and especially) like Thanksgiving. I like to keep the farro, olive, and cheese treasures at the bottom of the serving bowl, with the leaves layered on the top for a fun surprise every time someone scoops. 

This recipe is flexible, so don’t get flustered if you don’t have both endives and radicchio or Castelfranco. Just one type of leaf is fine! Don’t have Parm? Swap in feta or even blue cheese. If you want to skip the nuts, go for it, but I’d strongly advise you keep the olives in. And, you could even add in a sweet element, like a dried cranberry, golden raisin, or sliced pear, if that’s your kind of thing.

Butternut squash and lentils are a perfect combo for a cool fall day. This recipe is comfort food all the way - it’s full of flavor and has a satisfying crunch. Lentils, pumpkin seeds, and butternut squash are great for the gut. All the spices in this dish boost our immunity, too.

This super-quick recipe makes a great midweek meal served simply with raita. But don’t hesitate to include it as part of a feast or barbecue spread either!

Don’t shake the can of coconut milk before opening it—you’ll use the layer of cream on top in this sweet and spicy dressing, which is mellowed by the cooling iceberg lettuce and rich dark-meat chicken. Transfer the unused coconut milk to a clean jar and refrigerate it for making soup or a curry (it will hold for several days).

I love a chewy grain salad (this one has lentils too) with a lot of contrasting flavors and textures. Sweet, sour, chewy, crunchy, salty. You can go crazy and add more ingredients here; just don’t add toasted nuts or seeds ahead of time, as they will get soggy—throw them on top just before serving.

This earthy, tangy main dish shares a sauce similar to my Pomegranate Sriracha Shrimp, but the tofu, soy sauce, and vegetables turn it into something distinctively delicious. Tofu is typically deep-fried for dishes like this one, but panfrying is a healthier way to inject richness and character. For texture, complexity, and color, I add mushroom and mild-tasting chiles. Anaheims are my go-to but during the warmer months when chiles are in season, I love to use varieties such as Hatch and Corno di Toro. In a major pinch, half a large bell pepper will do.

When my husband saw this on the counter, he mistook it for caramelized porky crumbles. Yes, they look alike, but these crumbles are vegan, with a citrusy and spicy edge. Tempeh isn’t a Viet ingredient, but I’ve used it in banh mi, pho, and here to mimic meat. When crumbled into small pieces in this recipe, tempeh absorbs the seasonings well and fries up nicely. Whether made from meat or tempeh, these sorts of crumbles are used the same way—to mix into and season rice, kind of like a condiment. Add a side of radish and carrot pickle for refreshing crunch and tang. The crumbles will keep, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days (though they never last long in my house) and are good scooped up with tortilla chips.