Want homemade cake but not the palaver that goes with baking? You know the drill… dusting off the mixer… creaming butter and sugar… cleaning up the aftermath. Yeah nah, sometimes you’re just not up for it. Enter this Thai-inspired, sticky rice-based deliciousness. Comprising just four ingredients, it’s so darned easy to make, requiring no oven and using the simplest of techniques. It’s failsafe! And yum…

"This recipe came from our neighbour Mona, who grew up in Hama in Syria, her childhood home built along the river. A wonderful cook, she would make this layered dish whenever she came to one of our gatherings. It has lived on in our spreads ever since." - Karima Hazim Chatila & Siline Tabbouch

"Mum’s tarator has a large handful of finely chopped parsley tossed through it, which gives it a freshness and a rustic texture that works so well against the fried cauliflower. Although traditionally the tarator is served in a small bowl beside the cauliflower; we like to drizzle it all over the pile of golden fried florets and scatter with a generous pinch of Aleppo pepper for an extra smoky crunch." - Karima Hazim Chatila & Siline Tabbouch

"Labne belongs on every breakfast table and is perfect spread on a Za’atar Manoushe with fresh mint, olives, tomatoes and cucumber. Homemade labne topped with olive oil lasts in the fridge for a few weeks so it is worth making it yourself. Leave it to strain for slightly longer, for a thicker, creamier texture." - Karima Hazim Chatila & Siline Tabbouch

“Named ‘juak’ after the shape of a pebble, this traditional Korean dessert is a perfect combination of chewy, sticky rice bathed in jocheong (rice syrup). In the past, Gaeseong Juak was an essential dessert for special guests and wedding ceremonies. Today, it’s a steady seller at Korean dessert cafes and has actually become somewhat trendy.” - Jung Eun Chae

“We’ve put this fish ball soup on the menu at CHAE. It’s nice on a cold day because it’s hot and a bit spicy. The main tip for success is to make the kelp stock the day before and cook it for at least 5 hours. If you can’t find monkfish, you can replace it with another firm fish such as snapper; prawns (shrimp) are fine too.” - Jung Eun Chae

“Kimchi-jjim is one of Korea’s favourite dishes, a daily food that every family will prepare in a slightly different way. Even when the recipe is the same, everyone’s kimchi is different so the dish will have its own character. I’ve even changed my recipe from my mum’s version: she doesn’t use stock. I’ll eat this any day, any time with boiled rice.” - Jung Eun Chae

“When most people think of laksa, a bowl of brothy slurpy noodles comes first to mind, so a dry laksa might sound like a curious thing. I first had dry laksa at a friend’s place. Her father would politely interrupt every maths revision session with a plate of food, because ‘you can’t study on an empty stomach’. I vividly remember Uncle’s dry laksa; he had tried it at a trendy new café and recreated it for us…

“There are many versions of egg curry; this is one I learnt from a Singaporean Indian friend, who in turn learnt and adapted it from her mum. The fennel seeds give an aniseed fragrance that’s common to many Tamil curries, tomatoes and tamarind lend a sweet-sour tang, while the coconut milk (just a tiny drizzle!) adds a touch of creaminess…

“If I had to pick my favourite British food, the humble roast chicken would definitely be one of my top contenders. I love everything about roast chicken – the homely smell that permeates the kitchen as it cooks in the oven, the theatre of bringing a whole bird to the table and carving it to share, the delicious contrast of crisp brown skin and juicy meat…

“This is a lovely and easy dish to enjoy pazı (chard), grown mostly in the northwest, Black Sea, Marmara, Aegean and Mediterranean regions. Its gently tart flavour is delicious here. These large leaves are also used for making pazı sarması (rolled chard leaves with aromatic rice…

“This is one of my favourite ways to enjoy eggs. It was part of Ottoman palace banquets and a favourite of Mehmed the Conqueror. At home, Çılbır is generally enjoyed as a hot meze; I also like serving it as part of a leisurely weekend breakfast, lunch or a light mid-week supper…

“The Turkish love pumpkin in desserts (either baked in its own juice with sugar or poached in syrup) and baklava are a legacy of the Ottoman palace kitchens. Baked in a round tray and sliced into wedges, havuç dilimi is one of our traditional baklava shapes and traditionally walnuts…

“Peaches have a quite short season in Palestine. They’re flavorful, and I think they go very well with a lot of desserts, including mouhalabieh. These peaches are poached in pomegranate juice flavoured with lavender…

“Makloubeh is one of the national dishes of Palestine. Each home, family, and region make makloubeh differently. But traditionally, there are two types: aubergine (eggplant) makloubeh with lamb, and cauliflower makloubeh with chicken…

“The sight of mouthwatering charcoal-grilled barbecued chicken is common in Palestine. On sunny days, every household begins barbecuing whole chickens marinated in beautiful local flavors. At the same time, in every town, there is at least one restaurant…

“We use aubergine (eggplant) in all manner of recipes. It is a wonderful vegetable when it’s roasted, charred, and smoky, and we all know how fantastic baba ghanouj is. This recipe works as a starter or as part of a shared table and it screams summer…

“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…

“If you make this dish correctly, you’ll be asking yourself if you’ve burnt it. It’s okay. My training in modern European kitchens where everything had to be golden brown had me second-guessing, too. It just doesn’t taste the same if it is golden brown. It’s that dark bittersweet flavour that transforms cauliflower…

“This version of a classic Lebanese milk pudding normally set with cornflour (cornstarch) is a rip off of Rita Macali’s chocolate panna cotta. When working at Ladro as the prep chef before opening Rumi, I would occasionally sneak one of these for breakfast…