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We really went for it here, drawing on the flavor and texture of idli podi (a coarsely ground spice mixture that also goes by the name “gunpowder spice”) to create a gluten-free version of craggy-crunchy fried chicken. Our version swaps chickpea flour and sesame seeds for wheat flour, and, once fried, we dust it with lime zest, coconut, and crushed red pepper flakes. Be sure to fry the chicken to a deep brown to create superior crunch and coax out the nutty flavors of the chickpea flour and sesame seeds. And don’t skip the honey: It will balance out all the bold flavors.

This super-savory dish draws inspiration from Taiwanese beef noodle soup, then gilds the lily with a Dutch oven’s worth of sweet, slow-simmered onions.

This deeply comforting, spice-forward Indian soup is deceptively simple, easy to pull off, and perfect over a bowl of white rice.

All the satisfaction of a hearty, rich, bean-based cassoulet with none of the painstaking hours of cooking.

Pancetta, garlic, and jammy slow-cooked tomatoes bring big, concentrated flavor to these brothy clams. 

We took loose inspiration from Hainanese chicken rice to create this weeknight-friendly dish.

A fragrant, sweet-and-sour, perfectly acidic roast chicken. 

Vegetarian cabbage rolls filled with fragrant warm rice, buttery pine nuts, and sour sumac. 

A weeknight pasta that utilizes simple pantry ingredients in a luxurious way. 

Alison Roman couldn’t find a baked pasta she liked. So she made one she did. 

This sweet-and-sour glaze is good on fish, chicken, ribs—you name it. 

Luscious slow-roasted duck confit with crispy duck skin chicharrones are the star of Rick Martinez’s extremely extra carnitas. 

Juicy pork al pastor and oozy quesillo are a brilliant combo in these crunchy fried tacos.

Coconut milk and lots of zippy aromatics bring life to this creamy cod chowder. 

Turn the rich pan juices into a super-flavorful, spicy dipping sauce for this goat (or lamb) birria. 

Something very special happens when you give winter squash the coq au vin treatment.

Pan-seared cod gets plenty of texture and flavor from ginger, caramelized scallions, and lots of freshly ground black pepper.

A Palestinian staple of slow-cooked chicken smothered in sweet, silky onions and bright, lemony sumac, served on top of flatbread for sopping up all the flavors. 

The vibrant flavor and color of this spicy, finger-licking-good fried chicken comes from an abundance of ground dried spices, so be sure to use the freshest ones you can find.

This winter salad with peak season bitter greens, salami, and crispy chickpeas is hearty enough on its own, but not so over-the-top that you can’t also pair it with pasta for dinner.

Quick, spicy, filling, and made mostly of pantry ingredients, this chili/tortilla soup/frito pie mash-up is calling your name. (Shhh. Listen closely.) 

These ribs are tenderized with tangy kombucha—yep!—and flavored with Mexican mole spices.

A spiced and braised chicken that tastes like summer in the dead of winter.

Red split lentils cook even more quickly than other types, making them ideal for weeknight dinners. Turn them into a meal by pairing with savory spiced greens.