Start here if you’re learning to cook
Every recipe on this site explains each step, but these are the ones marked Easy: few steps, everyday ingredients, and no special equipment or tricky timing. They’re perfect for students living away from home, newly married couples, and anyone outside South Asia trying desi or Middle Eastern food for the first time.
A suggested learning path
- Rice: start with zeera rice to learn soaking and the absorption method.
- Daal: masoor daal teaches you to cook lentils and make a .
- A dry vegetable: aloo gobi or bhindi teaches .
- Eggs: a desi omelette or menemen.
- Your first curry: chicken salan brings it all together.
Once those feel easy, you’re ready for a karahi, a pulao and eventually biryani.
Tips for beginners
- Read the whole recipe first, and get every ingredient ready before you turn on the stove.
- Tap the ⓘ words on any recipe for a quick explanation of terms like bhunai and tarka.
- Use cook mode to see one step at a time with the screen kept on, and the timer for each step.
- Taste as you go. Salt and chilli can always be added; they can’t be taken out.
For a gentle introduction, read our guide to learning Pakistani cooking.