andrej the chef

classic recipes,
cooked properly.

The dishes everyone loves, tested until they work every time. Pick one and start cooking.

Bigos

Poland’s hunter’s stew: sauerkraut and fresh cabbage with three meats, dried mushrooms and prunes, reheated daily toward perfection.

3 hmediumserves 8

India

Butter Chicken

Murgh makhani done right: charred yogurt-marinated chicken folded into a silky tomato, butter and cream sauce finished with kasuri methi.

1 h 10 minmediumserves 4

A sesame-seed Montréal bagel filled with cream cheese and smoked salmon, with capers and sliced red onion on the plate and a coffee beside it

Canada

Montréal Bagels with Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese

Hand-rolled Montréal bagels, boiled in honey water and baked until sesame-crusted, filled with cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers and red onion.

2 h 30 minmediumserves 6

International

Blackberry Lime Protein Smoothie

Tart blackberries sharpened with fresh lime, the least sweet berry smoothie on this list. 26 g protein, 12 g net carbs.

5 mineasyserves 1

Italy

Lemon Polenta Cake

A golden, gluten-free cake of ground almonds and polenta, soaked in sharp lemon syrup while warm. Sunny, grainy in the best way, and it keeps for days.

1 heasyserves 10

International

PB&J Protein Smoothie

Peanut butter and berries, blended smooth: the one kids ask for by name. 29 g protein, 12 g net carbs.

5 mineasyserves 1

A white bowl of clear rice soup with whole rice grains, lumps of minced pork, cilantro, scallion and golden fried garlic

Thailand

Khao Tom Moo

Khao tom moo: Thai rice soup with clear peppery broth, whole rice grains, minced pork, cilantro, scallion and crisp fried garlic. A quick, light breakfast.

40 mineasyserves 4

International

High-Fiber Chia Protein Smoothie

A short soak lets chia thicken the glass into something closer to pudding than a drink. 27 g protein, 10 g net carbs.

5 mineasyserves 1

Colombia

Buñuelos

Round golden cheese fritters that roll themselves in the oil as they fry. A Colombian Christmas icon, gluten-free by tradition, good in any month.

40 minmediumserves 6

A crusty Kaisersemmel on a white plate with small glass dishes of butter and apricot jam, a soft-boiled egg in an egg cup and a cup of coffee with milk.

Austria

Wiener Frühstück

A Vienna coffeehouse breakfast: crusty Kaisersemmel with butter and apricot jam, a soft-boiled egg and a Melange, with a recipe for the rolls from scratch.

2 h 55 minmediumserves 4

Mexico

Chilaquiles Verdes

Chilaquiles verdes made from scratch: crisp fried tortillas simmered briefly in roasted tomatillo salsa, topped with queso fresco, crema, onion and fried eggs.

50 mineasyserves 4

Argentina

Pastel de Papas

Seasoned minced beef with onion, raisins and olives, baked under a golden mashed potato topping. Argentina's own shepherd's pie.

1 h 5 mineasyserves 6

Croatia

Zagrebački Odrezak

A breaded veal cutlet stuffed with ham and cheese, fried until golden and crisp. Zagreb's answer to cordon bleu.

40 minmediumserves 4

Colombia

Patacones con Hogao

Twice-fried green plantains, flattened and crisped, with hogao for spooning over. The Colombian answer to fries, and better.

40 mineasyserves 4

Finland

Karelian Pies

Finland’s karjalanpiirakka: thin rye crusts crimped around creamy rice porridge, brushed with butter and eaten with egg butter.

1 h 45 minmediumserves 6

Fried chicken burger stacked with cheese, crunchy coleslaw and spicy mayo

USA

Double Fried Chicken, Cheese and Coleslaw Burger

Double-fried chicken breast with a shattering crust, stacked with crunchy slaw and a Sriracha-lime mayo. A texture-first burger.

45 minhardserves 2

Slovakia

Svíčková

The Czech and Slovak Sunday classic: larded beef braised over root vegetables that become a silky cream sauce, served with bread dumplings and cranberries.

3 h 10 minhardserves 6

Slovenia

Bujta repa

Prekmurje farmhouse stew: shredded sour turnip and millet simmered with tender pork until thick, tangy and filling. Cold-weather food at its most rustic.

2 h 10 minmediumserves 6

Spain

Gambas al Ajillo

Shrimp sizzled hard in olive oil with sliced garlic and dried chili, served still bubbling in the dish with bread for the oil.

18 mineasyserves 4

Chile

Completo Italiano

Chile’s everyday hot dog: a frank buried under mashed avocado, diced tomato and a thick stripe of mayo, named for the colors of the Italian flag.

35 minmediumserves 4

Philippines

Chicken Adobo

The Philippine national dish: chicken braised in soy, vinegar, garlic and bay until the sauce turns to glaze. Four pantry items, one argument per family.

1 heasyserves 4

Germany

Dresdner Christstollen

A rich, rum-soaked Christmas loaf packed with raisins, candied citrus peel and almonds, finished thick with butter and powdered sugar. Dresden's Advent tradition.

2 hhardserves 16

Indonesia

Sate Ayam Madura

Charcoal-grilled chicken skewers from Madura, glazed in sweet soy and served with rich peanut sauce and compressed rice cakes.

55 mineasyserves 4

Singapore

Kaya Toast Breakfast Set

The Singapore kopitiam breakfast: crisp kaya toast with cold butter, soft-boiled eggs with soy and white pepper, and sweet milky kopi.

1 heasyserves 2

A white plate with a buttered half bread roll, slices of cheese, cooked ham and salami, with small bowls of butter and red jam and a basket of rolls behind.

Germany

Brötchenfrühstück

Crusty homemade Brötchen with butter, jam, sliced cheese, cooked ham and salami: the weekend breakfast spread of Germany, with the full recipe for the rolls.

2 h 30 minmediumserves 4

A large white bowl of pho bo with clear broth, flat rice noodles, thin slices of rare beef, onion, scallion and cilantro, beside a plate of bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime and chilies

Vietnam

Phở Bò

Phở bò with a clear, spiced beef broth made from charred onion and ginger, flat rice noodles and thin raw beef cooked in the bowl, served with fresh herbs and lime.

4 h 10 minmediumserves 4

A sesame-crusted koulouri bread ring torn open at one end, served on a plate beside blocks of white feta cheese

Greece

Koulouri Thessalonikis

Koulouri Thessalonikis, the sesame bread ring sold on the streets of Thessaloniki: a simple yeast dough, dipped in sesame and baked until golden, served with feta.

2 h 33 mineasyserves 6

Baked egg white frittata with spinach, mushrooms and crumbled feta, cut into wedges

International

Egg White Frittata with Spinach and Mushrooms

A light, protein-packed frittata of egg whites, spinach, mushrooms and feta. Low in carbs and fat, on the table in 30 minutes.

30 mineasyserves 4

Six deep brown akara bean fritters on a speckled plate, one torn open to show the pale airy inside with red pepper and onion, next to a bowl of smooth pale pap

Nigeria

Akara with Pap

Nigerian akara: black-eyed pea fritters fried until crisp outside and fluffy inside, served with warm, smooth pap (ogi). A classic street breakfast you can make at home.

1 h 10 minmediumserves 4

International

Green Warrior Protein Smoothie

Spinach, kale, avocado and cucumber blended smooth with vanilla protein, mint and lemon. Green that actually tastes good. 27 g protein, 7 g net carbs.

5 mineasyserves 1

Penne pasta tossed with chicken pieces, wilted spinach and grated Parmesan

Italy

Lemon Garlic Chicken and Spinach Pasta

Whole-wheat penne with seared chicken, garlic, white wine, lemon and fresh spinach wilted straight into the pan. Bright, light and done in 40 minutes.

40 mineasyserves 4

Singapore

Hokkien Mee

Yellow noodles and rice vermicelli braised in rich prawn stock with prawns and squid, finished with sambal and a squeeze of calamansi.

50 minmediumserves 4

Germany

Pfälzer Saumagen

A savory mixture of pork, potatoes and herbs, cooked inside a pig's stomach casing, then sliced and pan-fried crisp. The Palatinate's most famous dish.

3 h 45 minhardserves 6