Karen martini recipes

Biryani is a classic rice dish cooked across India. Various proteins are used, including mutton, goat, fish, egg and lentils, although chicken is probably the most common – at least outside India. My version, inspired by a Rick Stein recipe, is delicately spiced but exotic, fragrant with cardamom, saffron and a hint of rosewater. Marinating the chicken for an hour or more makes such a difference to the end result and only requires a little forward planning.

This dish, called hong shao rou or red braised pork, is a specialty of Shanghai. It's an impressive looking and tasting dish – rich, glossy and sticky, and it's very simple to make. The wood-ear fungus is not a classic inclusion, but I love the texture of it with the fatty and moist pork. Take the trouble to source some quality free-range pork for this recipe – it makes a real difference.

A book promising to be the one cookbook you need in the kitchen, Cook has taken Karen Martini six years to write.

A delicious ratatouille packed with vegetables.

Roasting enhances and deepens the flavour, which you can’t replicate by cooking the ingredients in a pot.

Transform your kitchen into a spice temple with this magnificently fragrant main. Get the recipe here.

Australian cafe fare is world renowned, with expats opening successful cafes in major cities such as London, Paris and New York. Closer to home, lift your weekend breakfast game and bring some cheffy touches to your plate with these mod-Oz recipes.

Karen’s baking an elegant upside-down cake which is buttery, rich and delicious. - by Karen Martini

Strapped after Christmas? Then tuck into these tasty recipes from budget-friendly cookbook MOB Kitchen

I love slow-roasted lamb and I cook it in many subtly varied ways. This version is inspired by the rustic cooking of the mountain villages of Greece. This is a dryish braise, or a wettish roast … either way, the result is a richly sticky and intensely flavoured dish, scented with oregano and bay, with plenty of lemon brightening and slicing through the richness. Serve with a lightly dressed bitter leaf salad, large chunks of firm feta and bread to mop up all the juices.