Right now, we are all struggling with the pressures of being stuck indoors. And arguably, this is the best time for us all to expand our cooking horizons. If you are looking to cheer yourself up or you need a massive project, now is the perfect opportunity to expand your menu. But where do you begin? Perhaps it’s time to go a bit further afield? There is a whole treasure trove of dishes the further east you go that will cover starters, mains, and desserts, and here are a few.
Curry
It is probably the most diverse dish you will ever eat. Curry, with all of its flavors, means that you can add and remove certain ingredients to accommodate your taste. If you have dietary restrictions you can remove the meat and substitute it with chickpeas or paneer, an Indian cheese. And you can even sweeten it to your tastes. And if you are looking to diversify your curry dishes but also mix it with an Indian set of flavors, there is plenty to go for. There are even breakfast dishes like sabudana khichadi that’s incredibly delicious. And if you are looking for sabudana khichadi Cubesnjuliennes.com has a few recipes to get you going. If you are looking to improve your taste buds and find a dish that you can change infinitely, curry is it.
Lamb Burgers
Going for an authentic Turkish flavor but with a dose of familiarity is a perfect way for you to expand your horizons. It might not be something that you tend to have in a burger, but if you are fed up with hamburgers this gives it a different kick. The great thing about lamb burgers is they have different spices that bring out the best in the meat. If you are looking to go for something with a little bit more than your typical cheeseburger, a lamb burger with feta and some labneh will truly add something to your next outdoor barbecue. If this tickles your fancy and sends you on an exploration further afield, there are some great Middle Eastern recipes on Theguardian.com to check out.
Tiramisu
If you are a pasta fiend and you are looking to go full Italian while in lockdown you’ve got to go for this perfect end to your Italian feast. Tiramisu is something you can easily buy or you can get components pre-made. If you like coffee at the end of your meal but you also need that dessert, you can bake this and transport yourself to an Italian veranda. And if this is too much you can very easily make affogato, which is espresso with a huge dollop of ice cream, yum!
Coffee
As well as the affogato, if you are slowly getting fed up with your daily coffee or you want to do something a little bit different now is your chance! Take the opportunity to experiment. Turkish coffee with cardamom is such a rich treat that takes time to prepare, but is worth it. And let’s face it, if you’ve got more time right now, expanding your recipes and food and drink will give you a much richer palate to draw from when everybody comes out of this.
