Yogurt

The crisp-skinned salmon is warmed up with spices and the sweetness of carrots. Then it's cooled down with one of the most refreshing combinations of all time: cucumbers and yogurt.

Vadouvan is sweeter and more aromatic than the typical curry, but Madras curry powder will work in a pinch.

Like a lighter riff on a classic French onion dip, this yogurt-based dip is just begging for chips or crackers. The texture will make you pause before reaching for sour cream–based ever again. We suggest using low-fat Greek yogurt (we like Fage and Wallaby brands). Fat-free is astringent and chalky, and the richness of full-fat can drown out other flavors.

Dunk cucumbers in this radish yogurt for a satisfying snack or starter. Or spoon some on a plate, throw a fried egg on top, and call it breakfast.

Bright and cooling, this side helps round out any meal—but especially one that packs a little heat.

This spread is definitely horseradish-forward. If you’re not sure if that’s your thing, start with half the amount.

You can prep your vegetables ahead of time (store them in a zip-top bag in the crisper drawer), but wait to assemble these at the last minute.

This classic, creamy soup is brightened with fresh ginger.

If you want a shortcut for this quince and chamomile panna cotta recipe, purchase quince paste at a specialty shop and heat it slowly to create a syrup, then simply spoon it over the custards.

This chicken nuggets recipe is the reinvention of the McNugget, featuring chunks of chicken breast, a marinade of yogurt and hot sauce, a rice flour batter for extra crunch, and three must-have sauces.

Marinating chicken in yogurt is an Indian technique that adds flavor, acidity, and tenderness.

Rye berries have a rich nutty flavor, but you can use any firm whole grain instead (farro, wheat berries, and spelt are all good choices).

To develop deep, satisfying flavor in this home-style Japanese beef curry recipe from chef Sylvan Mishima Brackett’s San Francisco izakaya Rintaro, brown the beef slowly and thoroughly, and cook the onions until very soft and jammy.

You can make these blueberry muffins with just all-purpose flour, but using whole wheat too gives them a heartier, nuttier flavor. 

Freekeh has a smoky flavor that gets more depth when the grains are toasted; you can use wheat berries, spelt, brown rice, or farro instead.

To make this tomato-on-bread revelation right this very minute, use a prepared flatbread like naan or pocketless pita.

Ask your butcher for a whole leg, which will include part of the sirloin.

You don’t need an ice-cream maker to serve cool, creamy scoops. All you need is a bowl to make semifreddo happen.

Squeezing the liquid out of the zucchini is the secret to crisp fritters. (The potato helps, too.)

If you don't have a large pastry tip, simply cut off the tip of the pastry bag and pipe through the opening. The finished pies might not be quite as perfect, but they'll still taste good.

Chef Seamus Mullen serves these robustly flavored meatballs as a shared plate at El Colmado, his New York City tapas bar, but they’re also a great main.

Fragrant bits of spicy ground lamb and heaps of fresh herbs in this recipe to transform ordinary lentils into the pantry party kid.

The double-frying technique is the secret to a shatteringly-crisp crust; the first sets the spiced batter in place, the second lacquers the chicken with a crunchy outer layer.

Chia seeds form a gel when they’re soaked in liquid for awhile, making it a kind of high-protein analog to tapioca pudding. Though you’ll find tubfuls of chia pudding at your local health food store, it tastes especially good when cut with another texture like the yogurt here.