As 2025 draws to a close, a reflection on the year’s most beloved recipes reveals a tapestry of flavors and culinary creativity that brought joy to many kitchens.
Merry more to come!
As 2025 winds to a close, I’ve found myself looking back on the dishes we stirred, baked, simmered, and celebrated together this year. From quick weeknight fixes to special-occasion showpieces, these recipes originated in my kitchen but truly came to life in yours. December, as always, arrives in a swirl of twinkling lights, full calendars, and the joyful bustle that pulls us toward gatherings big and small. With that joy often comes a hint of holiday pressure—whether you’re hosting a full house or savoring a quieter season.
To help keep things merry (and delicious), I’ve rounded up a few of the most-loved recipes I shared in 2025. These standouts earned your clicks, comments, and repeat appearances, finding their place in your trusted rotation and, hopefully, in your long-term recipe files.
As we look ahead to 2026, here’s to more culinary curiosity: new flavors to explore, bakes that surprise us, and cocktails worth raising a glass to. May the coming year be rich with creativity, comfort, and plenty of shared moments around the table.
Tandoori Roast Turkey
Cook Time: 2.5 hours. Serving size: 4 people.
Brine Mix:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 oz lemon juice
3 cups water
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 teaspoons kosher salt
4 turkey legs (bone-in, skin-on)
Method: Mix all ingredients together. Clean the turkey legs and soak them in the prepared brine overnight.
Tandoori Marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
3 tbsp ginger paste
3 tbsp garlic paste
Juice of 1 lime, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp cumin powder
3-5 tbsp mustard oil
2 tbsp kosher salt
Method: Mix yogurt and mustard oil with ginger and garlic paste until smooth. Add all other ingredients and mix well. The tandoori marinade is now ready.
Cranberry Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
3 cups cranberries
1/2 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
Method: Roughly puree cranberries. In a pot, combine cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, paprika, and salt. Cook until thickened into a sauce.
Cooking Instructions:
1. Clean turkey legs, rinse, and pat dry. Place them in the prepared brine mix and refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove turkey legs, pat dry, and coat with tandoori marinade.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place marinated turkey legs in a baking pan, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 2-2.5 hours until tender.
4. Serve the turkey legs on a platter with garlic mashed potatoes, sautéed veggies, and cranberry sauce.
Ram Laddoo Waffle Chaat
Serves 6.
I first discovered ram laddoo at a roadside food stall on the streets of New Delhi. I was surprised to find savory pakodis (petite deep-fried balls of dal batter) dressed with a generous drizzle of green chutney and topped with daikon radish salad. The sensory satisfaction from the dance of different tastes and textures is forever etched in my memory. Because my kids love waffles, I adapted the North Indian ram laddoo chaat into crispy waffles, delivering the perfect crunch.
Perfect Pairing: Serve with Saunf Sharbat in summertime or Kanji in the winter.
Waffles Ingredients:
1/2 cup (100 g) dhuli moong dal (yellow split moong dal)
1/4 cup (50 g) chana dal (peeled and split chickpeas)
1/4 cup (50 g) dhuli urad dal (peeled split black gram)
1 Thai green chili
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) water
1/4 cup (15 g) finely chopped radish greens (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Neutral oil
Radish Salad Ingredients:
1 cup (115 g) grated daikon radish
1/4 cup (30 g) grated carrots
2 tablespoons finely chopped radish greens (optional)
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
1 Thai green chili, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon chaat masala
1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
Garnish: 1/2 cup Hari Chutney, 1 tablespoon chaat masala.
Preparation:
Rinse the dals in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water until the water runs clear, about a minute. Transfer to a medium bowl, add water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm), and soak for 3 to 4 hours. Drain.
Meanwhile, make the radish salad: In a bowl, combine the daikon, carrots, radish greens (if using), cilantro, chili, lime juice, salt, chaat masala, and Kashmiri powder. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Make the waffle batter: Transfer the soaked dals to a blender. Add the green chili and ginger, and grind with about 1/4 cup (60 ml) water to a smooth batter. Transfer the batter to a bowl. Add the radish greens (if using), cumin, Kashmiri powder, turmeric, salt, and baking soda. Add additional water if needed. Whisk the batter well for a minute to make it light and fluffy. It should have a pouring consistency like waffle mix.
Preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions (or to 400°F/200°C). Grease the waffle iron evenly with oil. Drop large spoonfuls of batter onto the greased waffle iron until most of the wells are covered. Close the lid and cook until crispy golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
To assemble, place one waffle in a shallow bowl. Top with a large spoonful of chilled radish salad. Drizzle a generous amount of hari chutney over the top. Sprinkle some chaat masala and serve immediately.
Ayurveda Notes:
VATA: Reduce the Thai green chili in the radish salad. Balance its cold, raw qualities with ample chutney and lime juice.
PITTA: Enjoy laddoos in moderation due to their pungent taste. Reduce or skip Thai green chili and Kashmiri powder.
KAPHA: The pungency of daikon radish, combined with cleansing greens and digestive spices, balances kapha.
Curried Chicken Salad
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
1 cup chicken, shredded or chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup celery, chopped
2 tbsp Curry Kamaal blend
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp dill, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste.
Method: In a bowl, mix all ingredients well. Enjoy in a sandwich or on top of a salad.
Pomegranate Tai Mai
Ingredients:
2 oz pomegranate juice
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz mango puree
1/2 oz basil syrup
Splash of soda.
Method: Mix the juices and add a splash of soda.
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