Parsi lagan nu stew is a Parsi vegetable stew recipe, which is one of the most treasured dishes in Parsi cuisine that is served at weddings (lagan) and festive occasions for generations. Despite borrowing the word ‘stew’ from the British (who influenced Parsi culture during colonial rule), it bears little resemblance to a European stew. It is closer to a thick, spiced masala gravy and deeply aromatic thanks to the use of Parsi dhanajeeru spice blend, Kolah vinegar, dried apricots, raisins and cashews. The backbone of Parsi lagan nu stew is the dhanajeeru masala – a Parsi spice blend made from coriander and cumin seeds roasted and ground with cinnamon, clove, cardamom, black cardamom, aniseed, and star anise. This is what gives the stew its layered, slightly sweet, warmly aromatic character that sets it apart from other Indian gravies. The vegetables, potato, pumpkin, sweet potato, and carrot, are each fried separately before being added to the gravy, which makes for a rich dish. Parsi lagan nu stew is also a testament to how Parsi homemakers brought vegetables into a cuisine that traditionally skews towards meat. It is a dish of genuine complexity and warmth, and while the ingredient list is long, the method is straightforward, and the result is worth every step.

Pui saager chorchori is a Bengali recipe which is one of the most comforting weekday dishes. It is a medley of Malabar spinach (pui saag) and seasonal vegetables stir-fried with a panchphoron tempering in mustard oil. Chorchori, broadly speaking, is any dish where more than one vegetable or protein is cooked together, at different stages to retain their texture. Pui saager chorchori, a stir fry, is among its most popular forms. The star pui saag in this Bengali dish has thick, glossy leaves and fleshy stems which hold their shape during cooking and absorb the flavours of the dish quite well. Alongside the pui, a mix of seasonal vegetables like potato, brinjal, pumpkin, sweet potato, and radish is cooked to keep some texture. A special ingredient in Bengali cooking is bori, or urad dal vadi, which are small dried lentil dumplings that are fried until golden and added in two ways. Some like to add it while the dish is still cooking for a softer bite, while some keep it dry and crumble it at the end. Pui saager chorchori is flexible by nature. In summer, ridge gourd is a natural addition; in winter, broad beans and sweet potato make it heartier. The fundamental cooking process stays the same and requires patience when it comes to layering of vegetables, which are cooked down slowly in their own moisture until everything comes together. It is a dish built on restraint, technique, and an intuitive understanding of how different vegetables cook, and it rewards both.

Idichakka thoran recipe is one of Kerala's most celebrated seasonal dishes made specially for the Vishu festival. The dish is a dry stir-fry made with tender young jackfruit, known as idichakka in Malayalam. The name itself tells you how the dish is made: ‘idichakka’ means ‘beaten or crushed jackfruit’, referring to the traditional method of pounding the pressure-cooked jackfruit in a mortar and pestle until the fibres separate into a rough, textured shred before mixing with the coconut masala. The spiced coconut mixture is the heart of the idichakka thoran recipe, made with fresh, grated coconut coarsely ground with green chillies, cumin, shallots, garlic, and turmeric, kept chunky enough to coat the jackfruit rather than saucing it. This special dish for Vishu festival also entails a tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida, and curry leaves in coconut oil, which adds the fragrant, aromatic layer that signals this as a Kerala dish. Fresh tender jackfruit gives the best result for this thoran recipe, but canned young jackfruit (drained and rinsed thoroughly) is a good substitute and is widely available at grocery stores year-round. Either way, idichakka thoran, made for the Vishu festival, is a high-fibre, naturally vegan side dish that pairs with steamed rice and sambar.