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Khao Niao

Sticky rice must be the right variety: Thai glutinous rice (also called sweet rice, sticky rice, or kao niao, looks the same as ordinary white rice but opaque white when raw, not translucent). Soak the rice 4-12 hours in cold water until grains can be crushed easily between fingers. Drain. Steam over (not in) boiling water for 20-25 minutes in a traditional bamboo cone, banana leaves, or a steamer lined with muslin. Test by tasting a grain, fully cooked, chewy, slightly translucent. Transfer to a covered bamboo basket or wooden bowl for serving.

Sides 12 hours 30 minutes Serves4

Lahori Tarka Dal

Split yellow moong dal (or chana dal, or a mix) is rinsed and pressure-cooked or simmered with turmeric until completely soft. The dal is mashed lightly to a porridge consistency. A second pan fries ghee with whole cumin, garlic, sliced green chilli, dried red chilli and curry leaves until the garlic just turns golden. The hot tarka is poured over the dal with a dramatic sizzle; coriander and lemon finish.

Sides 50 minutes Serves4-6

Mahshi Koromb

A large cabbage core-out, blanched briefly, leaves separated. Filling: short-grain rice mixed raw with beef mince, chopped onion, parsley, dill, mint, dried mint, cumin, allspice, tomato puree, salt, pepper, plenty of olive oil. Each leaf rolls around a tablespoon of filling. Packed tight in a wide pot lined with sliced tomato. Garlic-tomato cooking liquid poured to nearly cover. Weighted with a plate. Cooked covered 1 hour on the lowest heat.

Sides 2 hours 15 minutes Serves6

Mexican Rice

Long-grain rice (not basmati or jasmine, they're too slim) toasts in oil over medium heat until pale gold and nutty, 3-4 minutes. Diced onion and garlic join briefly. A blender pulses a ripe tomato, garlic clove, ½ onion and a few sprigs of coriander into a smooth red puree; this strains through a sieve to remove fibre and pours into the pan with the toasted rice, along with chicken stock, salt, cumin and a bay leaf. Brought to a simmer, covered, reduced to lowest heat, cooked for 18-20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Off heat 10 min rest; fluffed with a fork; finished with frozen peas and chopped coriander.

Sides 35 minutes Serves6

Red Beans (Creole)

Dried small red beans soak overnight. A smoked ham hock simmers with the trinity (onion, celery, green pepper) and garlic, then beans, bay, thyme and stock join. Cook covered 2 hours until soft. Andouille goes in for the last 30 minutes. Mash a portion of the beans against the pot wall for thickness. Serve over rice.

Sides 14 hours 45 minutes Serves6

Saffron Rice (Azerbaijani Style)

The everyday cousin of plov: the rice you cook on a Tuesday when there's no wedding to feed but you still want the saffron-stained, butter-glossy crust that defines Azerbaijani rice cookery. You soak basmati for an hour in salted water, par-boil in heavily salted water for five minutes, drain. The empty pot films with butter, the rice mounds back in, more butter dots on top, and saffron-infused water drizzles over the peak so the colour stains down through the grains. A tea-towel-wrapped lid traps the steam, and forty minutes on low heat does the rest. Lift the rice gently with a slotted spoon so the amber-gold crust at the bottom stays intact for the table. Eats with anything braised, grilled or stewed; the rice is the dish.

Sides 2 hours 10 minutes Serves6

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