Moderate

A savoury and satisfying vegetarian classic from India, with a deliciously minty rasam.

Dhal and paneer vegetable curry, cheese recipe, brought to you by Australian Women's Weekly

A rich, fragrant and authentic beef madras curry for the Indian food lovers.

Breadcrumbs are good to always have on hand, and it’s a simple procedure to make your own. Place bread slices right on a shelf in a preheated hot oven and cook them until they are dry and crisp. Remove from oven, cool, crush them, with a food processor, blender or even a rolling pin. Store […]

This chutney is very intense, so use sparingly. Note

A seafood bisque has a deep, luxurious flavour, this comes from cooking prawns in their shells, as well as fish fillets, into a stock which is then blended (shells and all) into a smooth, silky soup.

Topped with lemon curd, whipped cream and blueberries, this almond meringue cake is a show-stopper.

Give a little nod to the finger food of the 60s while giving a more contemporary feel and taste to the classic prawn toast.

A grain often used for puddings and desserts, and as a thickening agent in cooking, tapioca is sourced from the root of the cassava plant (unlike sago, with which it is often confused, which comes from a variety of palm). Note

Quail can be bought already boned, but with the bones remaining in the legs and wings. Ask the butcher or poultry shop to remove any remaining bones for you, if you like. We’ve chosen to leave all the bones intact in the recipe. Quail can be prepared for cooking a day ahead of the picnic, […]

If pastry is too dry, add 2 teaspoons of water with egg yolk. Note

This recipe is best made just before serving. on the table in 25 minutes Note

You’ll need 3 bunches of baby carrots. Note

This subtly spiced cheesecake is very festive in its flavours. Perfect to cosy up with in the cooler months.

Do not be intimidated by the soufflé! Think of it as a flavoured base into which beaten egg whites are folded. The heat of the oven expands the air in the egg white and contracts when cooled. So serve it immediately, hot from the oven.

This is a traditional cake from north-eastern France; you find similar cakes in Germany, Austria and eastern Europe (the names vary slightly: Kugelhopf, Gugelhupf ). You will need an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook for this recipe as the dough is too soft to knead by hand.

You’ll have one leftover cube of cake – practise your piping on this if you like. Note

Turn a ramekin upside down on one corner of the pastry sheet and cut around it to make each pie “cap”. You’ll easily get four from the one sheet, with enough left over to make tiny leaves or stars to decorate each pie’s cover, if you desire. Note

suitable to freeze at the end of step 3. Note

The contrast between creamy honey ice-cream and juicy, sweet fruit is stunning in this lovely summer dessert.

We've detailed how to clean and prepare the calamari below; it's easier than you think! Remember that calamari cooks incredibly quickly; it's important not to overcook it because it will become tough and chewy, ruining the delicate nature of this tasty dish.

Succulent lamb fillets form the centre of these tasty little Greek-style pastry with spinach and feta cheese.

This recipe serves 4 as a vegetarian main meal with rice, but you can also serve it as part of an Indian banquet to serve 8. Okra, also known as lady fingers, is a green, ridged, oblong pod with a furry skin. While native to Africa, this vegetable is used in Indian, Middle-Eastern and southern […]

The cooking time for the pears will vary slightly depending on their ripeness. Note

If tapioca pearls are unavailable, make the golf balls from fondant by rolling into small balls. Note

Slice this delicious Italian-style roast pork thickly and serve with creamy mashed potato and salad for a delicious special occasion family meal.

This roast is delicious accompanied with gravy and vegetables or salad of your choice. The chorizo seasoning can be prepared and served separately as a side dish, rather than as a stuffing, if desired.

Add some extra colour to the marshmallow by tinting half of it lightly with your choice of food colouring ­the range is limitless and can be added to suit the colour theme of your party. Note

Tender braised octopus with spicy chilli rice is an excellent dish for a casual lunch with friends.

We used organic orange blossoms, but you can use any small flower you like. The bold purple of organic violas looks striking against the pale orange panna cotta.

Everyone loves a jam tart, especially with a little dollop of whipped cream on top. For something slightly different, try filling some of the cases with marmalade rather than jam.

pesto Note

deep 20cm (8-inch) square cake pan 25cm (10-inch) square prepared cake board small piping bag fitted with small plain tube You might need to buy two 100g (3-ounce) packets Mallow Bakes. Use sharp scissors to cut Mallow Bakes in half. This cake can be made a day ahead Note

These deliciously tender veal cutlets are perfect served with a fragrant porcini mushroom, marsala and rosemary sauce. A great family dinner dish, or tasty meal to serve your guests.

Smoky and charred corn cobs with a sweet Japanese-style sauce.

Store friands in an airtight container for up to three days. We used freeform paper cases made by pushing a 12cm square of paper (we used paper about the same thickness as printer paper) into ungreased pan holes, followed by a 12cm square of baking paper. variation peach and coconut friands Omit the glacé pineapple […]

We used a mixture of peanuts, cashews, almond kernels and walnuts. Note

Wear rubber gloves when removing the head of the balmain bug from the tail. Note

Use a mandoline or V-slicer to slice zucchini, if available. Note

A rich, healthy and satisfying lamb and lentil curry served with wafer-thin Indian poppadoms.

Ok, there is a slight art to making thin and perfect crêpes, but there should be enough batter here for you to make a couple of mistakes. Resting the mixture before using it will make them nice and smooth, as will using a well oiled crêpe pan. Plus, the melted cheese will hide any rough edges!

strike a patriotic note with one of these berry imaginative creations for the cake (the quantities given for cake, cream and berries are enough to make one flag.) Note

You will have about 1 cup of the cake mixture left over. Note

You can cut the rind into strips as thin or thick as you like, adjust the cooking time accordingly. Note

Tender slices of duck, sweet orange and fennel go together beautifully in this elegant dish.

If you're not a fan of coriander, try thai basil; it has a strong basil flavour and is an almost indispensible ingredient in Thai cooking. It is also said to bring good fortune.

Ask the butcher to butterfly the turkey for you. The turkey can be cooked in the oven, if you prefer. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and cook, uncovered, on wire rack, for about 1¾ hours. Note

This decadent chocolate fudge will satisfy even the sweetest tooth.

These rich and zesty cupcakes, topped with cream and lemon curd, make a great afternoon tea treat.

dairy-free egg-free Note

Try this veal topped with tasty cheese and mushrooms as a change from the usual lamb, beef or chicken. You won't be disappointed.

Hipster meets old-school Italian in this chai latte biscotti, and the results are in. They're delicious! Whip them up for an afternoon tea gathering with friends, or wrap them for a thoughtful gift.

This flavour-packed salad is full of the goodness of legumes and tuna, with great protein to fuel you for the day. Topped with a zesty chermoula dressing, it is wonderfully fresh and healthy.

The unique and aromatic flavour of makrut lime leaves is more well known in Asian style curries, but used here in these sweet lime syrup cakes, it is really quite amazing.

The mint and ginger syrup take this delicious tropical fruit salad to new heights. Use brown sugar if palm sugar is hard to find. You'll need about three passion fruit for this recipe.

Brownies are best made close to serving time. Sauce can be made a day ahead. Note

If you prefer, buy 1kg packs of pot-ready mussels from fishmongers or seafood markets. These have already been scrubbed and bearded, and are ready to cook. Some mussels might not open. These might need prompting with a knife or might not have cooked as quickly as the others;­ some will not open after excessive cooking. […]

Frozen cranberries can be replaced with other tart or tangy fresh or frozen fruits, such as cherries, raspberries or even pomegranate seeds, for an equally festive look. Note

You will need two bunches of asparagus and a quarter of a medium wombok for this recipe. A barbecued chicken can also be used; remove and discard bones and skin then shred meat coarsely before tossing with remaining salad ingredients. Note

For a lower-fat version, use low-fat dairy-free spread instead of the butter. per patty 7.8g fat; 697kJ (167 cal) Note

Slow cooking the tomatoes draws out both their flavour and their sweetness, leading to a rich, caramelised topping on the crisp base of this tart.

Soft and tender braised duck ragu with pappardelle from Australian Women's Weekly,

Discard the stems from the shiitake mushrooms before slicing as they are too tough to eat. If you like, replace the shiitakes with the same quantity of either button or swiss brown mushrooms. You could also add a handful of frozen (or cooked fresh) peas at the same time as the cream. Note

Comforting baked kumara gnocchi in a rich and creamy garlic sauce from Australian Women's Weekly.

French for “rust”, rouille is a capsicum-and-chilli flavoured mayonnaise-like sauce often used to garnish seafood stews. Discard any mussels that do not open. Note