Khapli wheat does double duty in this chicken and dumplings recipe, showing up both in the roux that thickens the broth and in the drop dumplings that go on top. A roux only needs flour's starch to thicken a liquid, so khapli, which is an ancient emmer wheat with a lower gluten strength than all-purpose flour, performs that part of the job just as well as regular flour does. Whisk it into the melted butter for the full minute the recipe calls for, since khapli's coarser, stone-ground texture needs a bit longer to fully smooth out and avoid any graininess in the finished broth. The dumplings are where khapli wheat flour's lower gluten actually works in this recipe's favour rather than against it. The whole point of a good drop dumpling is a light, cloud-like texture, which depends on baking powder, which does the heavy lifting and the dough being stirred only until it barely forms. Using Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta, which has more fibre, protein, plus iron and vitamin B1 which supports energy metabolism, is a great sibtitie for the typical maida or other whole wheat flour, purely because of its nutrient density. Going back to the recipe, everything stays the same from the roux being made, vegetables sautéed, herb-infused broth readied alongside the chicken. The chicken simmers in broth with evaporated milk and peas added later. Then the dumplings go into the pot. Pick a wide, shallow pot, rather than a tall one, as the former gives more surface area for the dumplings to sit in a single layer rather than crowding on top of each other. The khapli wheat dumplings will roughly double in size as they cook, so oversized drops turn into oversized, undercooked dumplings in the centre.

Grilled chicken recipes are one of the most popular choices for those seeking healthy chicken dishes. And no, the chicken was not a jerk, jokes apart! And neither is the chicken jerked in the Jamaican jerk chicken recipe, as the name might suggest. ‘Jerk’ refers to a Jamaican cooking method that involves poking holes in the meat for the fiery marinade to penetrate deep into the meat. Over time, the term has broadened to include the marinades, rubs, and sauces associated with this style of cooking, but the basic idea of piercing the meat to let flavour penetrate is central to how this jerk chicken recipe is built. Scotch bonnet peppers are the heart and soul of the Jamaican jerk chicken recipe’s marinade, which is pureed along with red onion, garlic, scallions, soy sauce, vinegar, olive oil, orange and lime juice, and a mix of spices, ginger, brown sugar, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and thyme. If it’s hard to find Scotch bonnet peppers, habanero peppers can stand in. This medley of citrus, vinegar, and chilli flavours is what makes jerk chicken so intense in flavour and perfect for barbecues. The marinating time makes a big difference in how this dish turns out, with the marinated chicken requiring at least 2 hours of rest. Refrigerating the chicken overnight will make the flavours deepen even more; as for the used marinade, it should always be discarded rather than reused as a sauce, since it has been in contact with raw chicken. If you want to make a finishing sauce, set aside a portion of the marinade before it coats the meat.

Cola-glazed ham is one of those pork recipes that sounds unusual right up until the moment you taste it, and then it makes complete, undeniable sense. A large bone-in ham is slow-roasted in a bath of cola and orange juice, and basted throughout cooking with a reduction of the same liquids combined with dark brown sugar and mustard until the surface turns into a deep, sticky, lacquered glaze that is simultaneously sweet, tangy, and lightly caramelised. The cola’s sugars reduce into a rich syrup, and its acidity balances the saltiness of the cured ham. What makes this Easter special recipe so good as a centrepiece dish is the contrast between the glaze and the meat beneath it. The exterior caramelises into a crackling, sticky coating while the interior stays moist and juicy, which is a direct result of the covered roasting method that steams the ham in the cola bath before the foil comes off for the final high-heat basting stages. Scoring the ham in a diamond pattern before it goes in the oven serves two purposes – it gives the glaze the maximum surface area to cling to, and makes the cola-glazed ham instantly recognisable on a holiday table. This recipe produces generous leftovers, and cola-glazed ham may be even better the next day, sliced cold with mustard, layered into sandwiches, or pan-fried with eggs. It keeps well refrigerated for up to a week and freezes well for up to three months.