Rice

Scrub mussels with a firm brush to clean and pull off fuzzy beards. Note

Be careful not to overcook your risotto rice – the grains should be al dente.

Become acquainted with these tasty and versatile staples

This curry can be adapted with different kinds of seafood and made more or less spicy to suit everyone’s taste.

Serving suggestion: Serve with Indian-style curries and barbecued lamb or chicken. Try adding 4-5 fresh curry leaves (found in herb section of selected supermarkets and fruit and vegetable shops) with chilli, or use them as a garnish. Note

Serving suggestion: Serve with pan-fried boneless sirloin (new york cut) or rib-eye steaks. Note

Cubed pork may be used in place of cutlets, if desired. Note

Stuffed green olives and chopped fresh coriander can be added with peas. Note

Liquid, powdered stock or cubes can be used for this recipe. You may not need to use whole amount of stock in Step 3. Stirring gives risotto its characteristic creamy texture. Note

Leftover gumbo can be frozen. Be sure to reheat it thoroughly. Note

Forget the breakfast club, have a sleep-in then get the crew together forJulie Biuso’s delicious vegetable-based brunch dish

Simmering spare ribs for 1 minute removes some fat. If you have more time, simmer ribs slowly for up to 1 hour. Add a little chopped ginger and chilli, if desired. Note

For stir-fried beef with mushrooms, replace capsicum with 125g sliced mushroom caps. For stir-fried beef with sugar snap or snow peas, replace capsicum with 100g sugar snap or snow peas. Kid-friendly tip: leave out the chilli if cooking for the kids. Note

Sliced ham may be used in place of smoked salmon. Note

You can use white-fleshed fish, such as blue-eye, in place of salmon in this recipe. Note

Wild rice blend is a mixture of wild and white rice and is available in the rice section of supermarkets. Note

Whipping up something to eat from pantry staples such as rice and adding a handful of seasonal vegetables and herbs can be just the ticket when you crave a lighter meal during the summer months.

Fragrant and delicious nasi goreng with fresh prawns, shredded omelette and chilli is ready in less than 15 minutes making this the ultimate meal for the spice lovers of the family.

For a more substantial meal add barbecued pork, green shelled prawns, barbecued duck or lap cheong (Chinese dried pork sausage) to the rice packages before wrapping. Note

Subtly spiced tasty vegetarian fried rice with vegetarian chicken-style sausages packed with fresh vegetables and topped with crispy fried shallots makes the perfect midweek meal.

To remove whole leaves from cabbage without breaking them, cut from base deep into cabbage, removing core. Carefully pull away leaves to keep them intact. Blanch, cut out thick ribs then fill and roll. If using small cabbage leaves, overlap to enlarge. Note

Australia has become a melting pot of cuisines. This dish is a combination of a classical French veloute, with favourite Asian flavours such as coconut and coriander. Note

A traditional Eastern European dish, the combination of tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a fragrant beef filling is utterly moorish. They're so delicious, even the kids won't mind eating their veggies!

Many countries claim dolmas or dolmades as their own. What makes this version Armenian is the addition of dill and cinnamon. Vary this dish with either sultanas or chopped dried apricots instead of currants, and oregano in place of dill. Note

Look for jars of crispy fried shallots in the Asian section of supermarkets or at speciality Asian stores. If the bamboo steamer isn’t large enough for all the parcels, they may need to be steamed in two tiers or batches. Note

Smoked fish is first salted, then either “hot smoked” (cooked close to the heat source, becoming opaque) or “cold smoked” (not smoked close to the heat source therefore not heated, so it’s translucent). You can use other types of hot-smoked fish for this recipe too, such as salmon, trout, cod or mackerel. Note

A fast and easy traditional nasi goreng recipe. This fragrant rice dish with prawns, chilli and shredded omelette is the ultimate comfort food for the spice lovers of the family.

This risotto can be cooked the traditional way by adding the stock gradually and stirring continually, although more stock may be needed. Note

Sumac is tangy. If you don’t have any, squeeze a lemon over the dish to serve. Note

Known in its native Russia as koulibiac, this filling dish may also be made with brioche dough instead of puff pastry. Note

You could replace the pork with chicken thigh fillets, if you like. Or, slide sliced raw white fish into bowls and ladle boiling congee over the top to cook. For a richer flavour, try replacing the water with chicken stock. Make a quick congee by covering leftover cooked white rice with stock and simmering for […]

Indonesians love to enhance the flavour of meat, which they use in small amounts, with fish sauces. In this simple dish, oyster sauce contrasts with the chicken. Note

Ground toasted rice is a traditional ingredient in Thai salads. It adds texture and flavour, but if you don’t have time, just leave it out. Health tip: Many herbs contain a high concentration of antioxidants, which neutralise harmful free radicals in the body. One cup of fresh herbs contains almost no kilojoules and can add […]

Try chicken or vegetable stock in place of water for a stronger flavour. If you’re using curry powder, add a tablespoon of water so it doesn’t burn. Note

Using vegetarian chicken-style sausages, this quick, easy and super delicious vegetarian fried rice is loaded with vegetables, topped with crispy fried shallots and subtly spiced.

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. The lamb can be marinated overnight for extra flavour. If you like a bit of sweetness in your curries, you can also add currants to the rice. Note

Chilli con carne mixture suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Not suitable to freeze or microwave. Fino sherry is available at good bottle shops. Note

You will need to soak bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes or grease metal skewers before use. Note

Use ,drained canned corn kernels, if you like. To remove corn kernels, hold cob upright on a board,. Using a sharp knife, slice straight down sides. Note

Remove the skin from the chicken to reduce the fat content of the dish. Note

Sausage and tomato risotto

Chicken and citrus are one of the truly great combinations, and this lime-poached chicken is incredibly versatile.

If liquid evaporates during final stages of cooking add the juice of the orange. Kecap manis is a dark, thick, sweet soy sauce. Note

You could also make a large family-sized version of this baked custard, using a 5 cup-capacity baking dish instead of individual mugs. Note

This curry is low in both total and saturated fat, high in fibre and has half your daily vegie needs. Note

To make a sauce to serve on the side, mix light sour cream, chopped dill and lemon juice. You can serve these pies hot for dinner, or at room temperature for lunch the next day. Note