2024 recipes that delighted our taste buds
As the year comes to a close, it’s time to celebrate the moments that brought us together around the table. Whether it was a comforting dish shared on a chilly winter evening, a vibrant salad that brightened up a summer barbecue, or a festive dessert that made the holidays sparkle, food has a unique way of marking life’s seasons. In this roundup, I’ve curated the best recipes of 2024, highlighting dishes that captured your hearts, delighted taste buds, and became instant favorites. From quick weeknight meals to indulgent weekend treats, these recipes are a testament to the creativity and flavor that defined the past year. Get ready to revisit old favorites and discover new ones as we celebrate the tastes that made this year unforgettable.
Each of these crowd favorites is a testament to the creativity and passion of home cooks everywhere. Prepare to discover new favorites that will undoubtedly make their way into your regular meal rotation.
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Punjabi Saag and Burrata
Punjabi Saag Preparation (Yields: 5 kg)
Ingredients
- Fresh Spinach: 2 kg
- Mustard Leaves: 6 kg
- Fresh Fenugreek Leaves: 0.5 kg
- Desi Ghee: 1 kg
- Cumin Seeds: 30 g
- Whole Red Chili: 15 g
- Chopped Garlic: 60 g
- Chopped Ginger: 30 g
- Chopped Green Chili: 80 g
- Corn Flour: 1 kg
- Chopped Onion: 1 kg
- Chopped Tomato: 1 kg
Method
1. Cut the spinach, mustard leaves, and fenugreek leaves into fine julienne strips.
2. Place them in a pot with water and boil until tender.
3. In a separate pan, prepare a tempering by heating ghee and adding cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, whole red chili, onion, and tomato.
4. Once the leaves are boiled, add corn flour to the pot and incorporate the tempering mixture.
5. Blend everything using an electric blender until smooth.
Ingredients for Serving
- Punjabi Saag: 200 g
- Burrata (4 oz): 1 piece
- Whole Garlic Confit: 10 g
- Chili Threads: 2 g
Method for Serving
1. Reheat the Punjabi Saag and place it on a plate.
2. Position the Burrata cheese in the center of the plate.
3. Drizzle the slow-cooked garlic confit over the Burrata and garnish with chili threads.
Kerala BackWater
My favorite beverage recipe, the Kerala BackWater is very unusual and tasty
Ingredients
Rasam, Vodka, Honey, Lime
Ingredients for Rasam
- 2 tbsp pepper
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tomato, chopped
- 1 cup tamarind extract
- 2 chilli
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 dried red chilli
- pinch asafoetida
- few curry leaves
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cup water
- 1 cup cooked split pigeon peas
- 2 tbsp coriander, chopped
Method to make Rasam
- In a mortar pestle, take 2 tbsp pepper, 2 tbsp cumin and 6 cloves of garlic.
- Pound coarsely, making sure everything is coarsely crushed.
- In a large bowl take 2 tomatoes, 1 cup tamarind extract and 2 chilli.
- Squeeze the tomatoes until they turn mushy. Keep aside.
- In a large pan with 2 tbsp oil, add 1 tsp mustard, 1 tsp cumin, 1 dried red chilli, a pinch asafoetida and a few curry leaves. Splutter the tempering.
- Now add squeezed tomato tamarind mixture, ½ tsp turmeric and 1 tsp salt.
- Cover and boil for 5 minutes or until the raw smell disappears. Add 4 cups of water and adjust the consistency.
- Once the water comes to a boil, add 1 cup cooked split pigeon peas and mix well, adjusting the consistency.
- Add pepper, garlic, masala and mix well.
- Boil for 2 minutes, or until the rasam turns aromatic.
- Finally, add 2 tbsp chopped coriander
Method to make Cocktail
1. In a mixing glass, add 2 ounces of vodka
2. Add 1 1/2 ounce of room temperature strained Rasam
3. Add 1 ounce lime
4. Add 1 ounce honey syrup
5. Fill the glass with ice and give it a good stir
6. In a big old-fashioned glass with a big block of ice, fine strain the drink made in the glass
7. Garnish with some fried curry leaves and enjoy the drink
Air Fried Ravioli
Super tasty as a snack or main, this dish also makes a great appetizer at parties. Dip in marinara sauce and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup bread crumbs
- ¼ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 1 (9 ounce) pack of refrigerated spinach and mozzarella ravioli
- Olive oil cooking spray
- 1 cup marinara sauce, warmed
PREPARATION
- Preheat an air fryer to 350 degrees F
- Beat egg and water together in a small bowl. Combine breadcrumbs and Pecorino Romano cheese on a plate.
- Dip 1 ravioli into beaten egg mixture, then into bread crumb mixture, pressing to coat. Place breaded ravioli on a plate and repeat with remaining ravioli. Lightly spray ravioli with cooking spray.
- Place as many ravioli in the air fryer basket as you can without overlapping them.
- Cook in the preheated air fryer for 6 minutes; flip ravioli using tongs and cook for 4 minutes more. Remove from the air fryer and repeat with the remaining ravioli.
- Serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping.
Pecan Tassies
INGREDIENTS
- Buy phyllo cups from the frozen section of the grocery store.
For the filling
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
PREPARATION
- Whisk together the egg, sugar, vanilla, maple syrup, butter and salt in a medium bowl.
- Stir in the pecans.
- Place 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of filling into each premade cup.
- Bake until the crust is golden brown (about 15-18 minutes). Allow to cool completely in tin on a wire rack before unmolding.
Endive and Paneer Salad with Tamarind Chutney Vinaigrette
Ingredients for Tamarind Chutney Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup Tamarind Chutney
- 1/2 cup neutral oil
- 1/4 cup water
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 shallot, minced
Ingredients for Salad
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 3 ounces paneer, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 (5- to 6-ounce) package Little Gem lettuce, baby romaine, or romaine lettuce hearts
- 1 head endive, leaves separated
- 1 shallot, sliced into thin rings
- 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs, toasted
PREPARATION
- Combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar, cover, and shake until well combined. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the paneer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned. Transfer the paneer to a plate and let it cool for a few minutes. While the paneer is cooling, arrange the lettuce and endive leaves on a large platter.
- Evenly spread the shallot rings on top, then scatter the paneer and bread crumbs over everything just before serving. Dress with a couple tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
