“This is a dish that I can’t believe is not more commonplace. It is basically a chicken version of the classic Lebanese baked fish dish, samke harra. In this recipe the chicken is smothered in Taratoor and finished with various nuts, parsley and chilli. This version is made with roasted chicken, but you could steam, bake or poach the chicken, too.” - Joseph Abboud

“So few ingredients, but a completely stunning result. Curry leaves are worth seeking out if you have a good greengrocer nearby. Their nutty, popcornlike flavour works incredibly well in tandem with brown butter and fish.” - Danielle Alvarez

“Sweet spices in a ragù are typical of northern Italian cooking, and they are surprisingly perfect with meats like lamb, beef and game. The star anise and cinnamon lend sweetness and depth, while the tomato, red wine and rosemary bring this back to more recognisable territory. Don’t let the long ingredients list put you off – once everything is in the pot, this ragù is pretty hands off.” - Danielle Alvarez

“This dish has a special place in my heart – I’ve eaten it a lot over the years and absolutely delicious. Take the time to follow a few easy prep steps for spot-on rice. First, rinse your rice well under cold, running water before you cook it; this washes off excess starch that can make it clump. Not a good look. Once cooked, you need to let the rice get completely cold before frying it – spread it over a tray to make this faster and make sure all the moisture evaporates out. Even better, cool it, then refrigerate your cooked rice overnight before making this dish”.

“I like to use a mix of colours for the tomatoes here, but use what looks and smells good. As for balsamic vinegar, I prefer those from the Modena region of Italy. If you can’t crack it open and smell it before you buy, then be guided by price – I’m an advocate for spending money on good-quality balsamic and extra virgin olive oil.”

A classic Chinese dish from the cookbook Bao Family by Céline Chung. These tasty dumplings are simple to make and well-loved.

A popular Chinese dish from the cookbook Bao Family by Céline Chung. Tasty, simple to make, and packed with flavour.

“White pomfret was Amah’s favourite fish to eat, but it was really expensive. I knew every time we ate it something special had happened: maybe my dad had closed a business deal, maybe one of us got straight As at school or maybe it was for Lunar New Year. It was precious. Pomfret is hard to get in Australia, but you can use any other white fish in this recipe. When we serve this for Lunar New Year at the restaurant, we use coral trout because it’s one of my favourites and, in my opinion, the best fish we can get in Australia.”

“Malaysian roast chicken has crispy, dark skin and lots of flavour from the five-spice and salt rub. Back in primary school, when my mum was working and it was just us boys and Dad, he would often ask, ‘Chicken rice tonight?’ It was always a big yes from us, and we’d go to the chicken rice shop near our house where, like almost all chicken rice shops, you could get Hainan chicken or roast chicken. I always prefer roast chicken. I love the flavour, and there is a lot more skill in making a proper Malaysian roast chicken with crispy skin. Start this recipe the day before.”

“The quality of beef in Malaysia sucks, and my grandparents never ate beef because of their religious beliefs. One of the few times we ate it was at Kayu Nasi Kandar, a shop in Petaling Jaya that serves rice with a choice of curries on top. The rendang gravy at Kayu was delicious, but the beef was so tough and chewy. The only beef I liked was a McDonald’s cheeseburger. We’d go on a Monday for the one-ringgit cheeseburger special. My dad would ask me and my brother how many we wanted and, being growing boys, we’d take ten or fifteen home and smash the lot.

So the first time I properly appreciated rendang was in Australia. My take on rendang is controversial as I use good-quality Australian beef for the texture and flavour. Some people wonder what’s the point if you are going to slow-cook it, but when I ask if they like the sauce they say it’s bloody amazing. It’s all a by-product of using good-quality, fatty meat.”

“This recipe makes wings similar to the type you find at izakaya and kushikatsu (fried skewers) restaurants. After being fried, the wings are dipped into a sauce, which, naturally enough, slightly softens the crispness. The wings are at their absolute best eaten within 10 minutes of being fried and dipped but are delicious even when the crispness has entirely faded. Izakaya frequently serve the mid-joint portion with the wing tip attached, so use them, if possible. Bottled ponzu is fairly easy to find, but bottled yuzu might be more difficult – look for it at shops specializing in Japanese ingredients. If you can’t find yuzu juice, use equal parts of fresh orange, lemon and lime juice to total 5 teaspoons.”

“If you’ve eaten KFC – Korean fried chicken – chances are high that the first version you tasted was the sweet and spicy Dakgangjeong or Yangnyeom. The two are very similar, but my Korean friends tell me that Dakgangjeong is sweeter and sticker, while Yangnyeom is spicier. I prefer the spicier version.”

I love the silky texture and fresh, sweet flavour of raw salmon, but of course I also love the dense, meaty flavour of grilled salmon – this delivers the best of both worlds, with tangy ponzu and hot green chillies to offset the richness of the fish.

We couldn’t do a cookbook without one of our all-time fave dinners in it. We have this at least once a week. It is utterly divine — soul food at its best. The mac is a great way to use up any random bits of cheese in the door of the fridge. We usually serve this with a tangy garden salad (for balance).

These delectable crunch-parcels are one of the most popular toppings for udon and soba in Japan, and it’s easy to understand why. They start off crunchy and sweet, and over time the batter absorbs the broth to make for fabulously juicy mouthfuls.

This showstopper of a dish originates from the Chittagong district, and is traditionally served to welcome a new groom into the bride’s family. Mellow, lightly spiced and creamy, the skinless chicken is melt-in-your-mouth and flavoursome throughout thanks to slow cooking and bhagar or tempering of golden fried onions.

Our lamb chops have become a signature dish at Cassia. We have guests who come in each week to just have their Cassia lamb chop fix. This recipe uses a key spice blend called chapli kebab masala, which was introduced to the north of India by the Mughal kings. The spiced cream is inspired by Goan cuisine, which is in turn influenced by Anglo-Portugese flavours — it provides balance to the heat, and adds tanginess to the dish. — Chandni Sahrawat

This recipe was an essential part of my growing up and has been handed down through generations, so I really felt that it was essential to include it. Brawn was considered a real treat when my mother made it after my father killed a pig. Traditionally we had it sliced on toast with Worcestershire sauce for breakfast. I occasionally make it for my brothers and sisters, and it goes down a real treat! I’ve named it after my mother even though it was handed down from my father’s Irish ancestors. My brother Oliver is happy to drive for miles to collect his share.

We love burgers. A lot. We made SO many burgers to perfect this recipe. Basically, it’s a turbo-charged cheeseburger. And, well . . . yeah, it’s pretty perfect. If you can’t find mortadella, don’t sweat it — it’ll still be fantastic without it.

Growing up in Korea, fried chicken was a special meal that we didn’t get to have often. Back then we had two choices — plain or gochujang — but these days, there are fried chicken shops all across Korea, doing their own flavours and styles. Fried chicken can seem incredibly simple, but in fact it’s quite complex as there needs to be a perfect mix of sweet, savoury, spicy and salty. I’ve been working on this recipe for years. — Jason Kim