Yogurt

I love any dish that can be made using water rather than stock. It’s a bit of useful laziness that can help establish the clean, pure flavor of the ingredient itself, whether it’s carrots or clams. One key is a slow, patient approach to cooking (or “sweating”) the onions and garlic, creating sweetness and depth. Homemade curry powder keeps well for a few weeks and warms up deviled eggs, beef stew, or hot buttered popcorn.

Refreshing and pretty, this sauce makes a tangy and colorful garnish for curries, stews, and soups.

This frozen treat combines the texture of a full-fat ice cream with the fresh flavor of a fat-free sorbet. Use a thick, creamy yogurt for this recipe. I use the nonfat yogurt from Stonyfield Farm in the restaurant.

I enjoy going out for Indian food and pairing a cool, calming lhassi with a heavily spiced meal. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to develop one for my dessert menu. This one—which I worked out with my friend and onetime sous-chef Jason Casey—is creamy smooth and softly perfumed with rose water and cinnamon.

Even kids who are not big fish-eaters tend to like salmon—and they’ll like it even better when it’s baked in a cheesy crumb coating. Let them do the dipping and crumb coating to speed the work along. The fish sticks can also be dipped in ketchup, marinara sauce, pesto, ranch dressing, or vinaigrette if you prefer.

I have always loved Greek food, and a trip to Greece a few summers ago only reinforced that affection. The Greeks are doing something right with their Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil. A burger might not exactly fit into those parameters, but I can use the salty, briny, and fresh elements that they love to make this burger Greek. Flavorful kalamata olives are blended into a spread for the bun, and this combo wouldn’t be Greek without some salty feta cheese and ripe tomato. You might not be as familiar with tzatziki, but this tangy blend of thick yogurt, pungent garlic, and grated fresh cucumber is a staple in Greek cuisine and is used for practically everything, from a dip for wedges of pita bread and French fries to a topping for sandwiches.

Some days, the fats and sugars of life must be avoided, but you can still squeeze in a little chocolate. I usually prefer natural ingredients like whole milk and real sugar, but on diet day, everything must be skinny, and I use sugar substitutes. Swirl a green apple slice through this dip in the afternoon, make a cup of green tea, soak up all your antioxidants, and you’ll forget that you’re even on a diet.

Now you can have sweet caramelized onion without a lot of time and effort. Cook the onion over high heat, add a bit of sugar, then reduce the heat to finish the process. If you planned ahead and have some Grilled Sirloin with Honey-Mustard Marinade (page 176), it would be wonderful in this dish.

Turn ordinary chicken and cauliflower into a flavor sensation with curry powder and tangy yogurt. Serve over couscous, noodles, or rice.

This breakfast treat looks so elegant, your family will think it took hours instead of minutes to prepare. You can also serve this as dessert, but caution is advised: You may be tempted to eat dessert first!