Snacks and sides

Best served warm.

Egypt's favourite street food is crisp on the outside, fluffy inside, and delicious throughout.

Freshly baked pretzels are one of life's simple pleasures.

The secrets to Thailand's beloved green papaya salad, thanks to Sydney's doyenne of Thai food and owner of Chat Thai, the late Amy Chanta.

This classic Thai appetiser pulls out all the stops.

Rice and lentils served with a spiced tomato sauce and a pile of crisp onion: no wonder this Egyptian comfort food dish is so well loved.

These crackers are wholesome and moreish, and go well with any dip of your choosing. Here, we’ve paired them with a fresh, zesty smashed avocado.

Apples, celery, walnuts and a dash of high society: yes sir, this is one fine salad.

Watch out - these party snacks pack a spicy punch.

A luxurious summertime starter.

Fancy a potato chip? You'll like these fancy potato chips.

This could be the ultimate beer snack. The key is to dry the skin thoroughly in the oven so it puffs when it's fried.

Forget those gluggy versions of decades past. Our crème fraîche-based dressing lightens the load without losing that creaminess and tang.

Roasted beetroot. Tender chickpeas. The zing of za'atar. It's a combination that just works.

To make the stretched-curd cheese you need scientific precision but a relaxed attitude, too.

Sushi master Chase Kojima of Sydney’s Sokyo restaurant reveals the key steps to this freewheeling deconstructed sushi.

Our spin on the traditional Cantonese siu mai, with sticky rice for added texture, and scallops to up the luxe factor.

The Shanghai dumpling goes luxe. We've stuffed ours with picked crabmeat, but the traditional, slurpable stock still remains.

These little parcels may be simple to make, but the flavour packs a punch.

Firm favourites in the dumpling world, these dainty parcels are child’s play to make.

You'll fall in love with this turmeric cauliflower piccalilli. They're a perfect match with sliced ham and buttermilk biscuits, the savoury American cousin to scones.

Turn the humble vegetable into a dinnertime showstopper.

The nuttiness of roasted cauliflower, the creaminess of labne, the sweetness of dates. This salad hits all the right notes.

A salad that's all crunch and freshness.

Sometimes, simplicity is everything, especially when it's a scorcher.

Butter makes everything better.

A pretty-in-pink plate that's perfect for summer.

An addictive blend of olive oil, anchovies, garlic and butter. Dip in.

Throw an ... oyster on the barbie? Don't knock it 'til you try it.

There's nothing better than soft, fluffy focaccia, straight out of the oven. It's easier than you think.

This Italian starter of raw beef and toppings hails from the Piedmont region. We've opted for mushrooms and parmesan but feel free to tweak the toppings to your taste - just don't skimp on quality.

This side is based on the Persian dish of tah-dig, where rice is cooked until it sticks to the bottom of the pan, providing a wonderful mix of fluffy and crunchy elements in the same mouthful.

A light snack that strikes just the right balance between virtuous and tasty.

Beetroot tops often fall by the wayside, but they have so much flavour that it’s a shame to waste them. Here we've turned them into the basis of a quick vegetarian stir-fry.

A salad of the most simple - and nourishing - variety - that you can throw together in an instant.

This might not sound like your typical gratin but rest assured that all the elements that make this dish a favourite are in the mix.

While we love cauliflower roasted, using it raw and shaved whisper-thin adds a lovely textural element to salads.

Using a mix of raw and roasted vegetables in salads is a simple way to add different textures and flavours to a dish. Beetroot works particularly well.

These roasted mushrooms are simply prepared with thyme and garlic, allowing the vegetables to shine. Pair with toast, polenta or roast chicken - this dish is all about versatility.

Inspired by pilaf recipes, where the grains are cooked in stock, this recipe combines fluffy barley with Swiss brown mushrooms enriched with Japanese flavours. It's a cultural mash-up of the best kind.

Lebanon's dish of fried cauliflower - zahra maqlia - gets a contemporary twist from chef Greg Malouf.

Visually stunning, this slaw of red cabbage, kale and beetroot is a great salad to take to parties, picnics and barbecues.

The chargrilled Roman and green beans add so much flavour to this green salad, it could easily make a light dinner or lunch. Just add crusty bread, a poached egg or some shredded chicken.

Crunchy green salads are often underrated but they brighten any meal. Here we've scorched the lettuce and sugar snap peas lightly on the barbecue to add a little smoky flavour.

Blanched snow peas dressed up with sesame make a great summer salad with crunch.

Hash browns will always have a place on our breakfast table, especially when paired with a fiery chilli sauce. Be as generous with the sauce as you dare.

Add a little zing to your oysters with two vibrant mignonettes.

The simplest things are sometimes the hardest to do well. But with this recipe - and a few considered choices about your produce - you'll nail guacamole every time.

Nasu dengaku is one of Japan's most popular exports for a reason. Get ready to fire up that grill.

A simple green salad is given a flavour boost thanks to an easy ginger-soy dressing.

This recipe is a perfect summer dessert, featuring coconut soaked tapioca and a hint of salt to balance the sweetness of the mango and papaya.

No barbecue is complete without a mix of excellent salads. This one makes the most of summer tomatoes and the freshest of herbs, but don't be fooled - it's no lightweight.

The freshness of this sesame-crusted kingfish sashimi is amplified by a light ponzu dressing and accompanying greens.

Fragrant spices, dates and nuts lend a Moroccan flavour to this simple orange salad.

This recipe features a zesty watermelon gazpacho drizzled over fresh fruit. It's the ultimate in summer refreshment.

Garden pickles recipe - For pickled carrots, bring vinegar, sugar, honey and a pinch of salt to a simmer in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Baby lettuce hearts with pistachio dressing and parmesan recipe - For pistachio dressing, process ingredients in a blender until smooth and season generously to taste.

Hummus with radishes and paprika recipe - Purée chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and oil in a blender, adding cold water to adjust the consistency, until smooth or to your liking.

Packed lunch, picnic salad or as part of a barbecue - there's not much this salad can't handle.

Yoghurt dip with sesame seeds, pepitas, cumin, caraway and mint recipe - Spoon yoghurt into a muslin-lined sieve over a bowl, cover and refrigerate until whey drains and yoghurt thickens slightly (1-2 hours). Stir in garlic and season to taste.

This might just trump your best hummus.

Mozzarella in carrozza recipe - Place bread slices on a work surface and arrange mozzarella on half, leaving a small border.

Fresh fish, earthy beans and winter produce make this simple, light salad.

Tomato, ricotta and fregola salad recipe - Preheat oven to 200°C. Crumble half the ricotta over a baking tray, drizzle with 2 tbsp oil, scatter with chilli and half the lemon rind, season to taste and bake until golden on the edges (10-12 minutes). Cool.

Cooked and raw ingredients combine in this green salad, where the idea is to use the recipe as a guide and follow your nose to the freshest spring produce you can find.

This versatile spring salad mixes and matches seasonal green vegetables for the optimal combination of textures and flavours. Experiment to your heart's content.

These deep-fried puffs of ricotta, flecked with mint and peas, are a wonderful combination of crunchy exterior and light, fluffy filling.

Cheesecake for breakfast? A good idea, we say.

Pea, bean and shallot salad recipe - Blanch all peas and broad beans in a large saucepan of salted boiling water until bright green (30-40 seconds).

This quick and easy salad has been a mainstay on the Burnt Ends menu since day one.

Artichokes with Taleggio sauce recipe - For Taleggio sauce, bring milk to the boil in a saucepan. Add the cheese, stir until it begins to melt, then blend with a hand-held blender until smooth

Labne with salt-roasted beetroot, pickled onions and peas recipe - For labne, place yoghurt in a fine sieve lined with muslin placed over a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight to drain.

Fondue is back - and easier than ever. Baking in paper means far less cleaning up. What's not to love about that?

Baby potatoes with butter, mint and pancetta recipe - Preheat oven to 190C. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat, add pancetta and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden and starting to crisp (2-4 minutes).

Sweetbreads in brown butter with ravigote sauce recipe - Bring white vinegar and 2 litres of water to a simmer over medium heat. Add sweetbreads and gently poach until they turn opaque (10-12 minutes).

Cabbage with sake, brown butter crumbs and bacon recipe - Heat a large casserole over high heat, add butter and swirl pan until butter is foaming and nut brown (2-3 minutes), then pour into a heatproof bowl.

Anise fougasse recipe - Dissolve yeast in milk in a small bowl and set aside until creamy on top. Combine flour and sugar in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook

Potato salad and horseradish cream - For horseradish cream, combine cream and horseradish in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight to infuse. | Australian Gourmet Traveller

Ligurian cheese focaccia recipe - Place half the flour in a bowl with a good pinch of fine salt. Add oil and 200ml water, and mix until smooth, then gradually add remaining flour, a little at a time, mixing to form a soft dough

Beetroot salad with sweet and sour dressing recipe - Preheat oven to 180C. Place beetroot on separate pieces of foil large enough to wrap them.

Aged goats cheese and toasted walnut bread recipe - For walnut bread, combine yeast and 50ml lukewarm water in a bowl and set aside until foamy (3-4 minutes).

An Indian dish that elevates humble ingredients - bread and potato - to tasty side dish or snack.

In the world of flatbread, it doesn't get much easier than this.

This vibrant apricot and orange-blossom jam goes perfectly with ricotta on buttered sourdough.

Scorched apricots, torn jamón, shaved Manchego and peppery rocket leaves make for a light and tasty salad.

This ultra-green pistachio and kale dip is packed with flavour and goodness. Serve it with any kind of cracker or crunchy crudités.

Fermented cabbage gives this cannellini bean and beetroot salad an extra dimension.

This Caribbean salad is summer in a bowl. The green banana may seem an unusual addition, but works really well in the mix. Chopped cooked prawn meat, meanwhile, works beautifully in place of the crab.

Salted maple almond balls- Simmer maple syrup in a saucepan over medium-high heat until caramelised. Remove from heat and stir in coconut oil.

Steaming eggplant gives it a lovely silky texture and makes a lighter alternative to frying. The dressing can be made with a curry paste for extra spiciness. Begin this recipe a day ahead to soak the chickpeas.

This watermelon, herb and pickled ginger salad is super-fresh and excellent on hot days. It could be served as an entrée, or alongside grilled fish or prawns.

This Middle-Eastern style vegetarian snack combines yoghurt flatbread with a paprika-spiced cauliflower hummus. Fried chickpeas add some crunch.

Inspired by stuffing, this salad combines freekeh with a sherry vinaigrette and sour cherries for a sweet acidity, while Greek feta crumbled on top adds a satisfying tang.

In this white fish crudo, the fish in question can also be marinated in a little dressing, ceviche-style - for 15 minutes or a couple of hours, depending how "cooked" you like it.

This cured ocean trout is cured in a soy souce, kaffir lime, chilli and lemongrass sauce for light Southeast Asian notes. Seafood might be a Christmas classic, but we're making this one all summer long.

This classic Italian recipe is all about the zucchini and mint.

A beautifully simple salad of peach, mozzarella and fregola, adds a little heft to this otherwise light salad - a winning combination.

A simple salad that packs a punch with lots of ginger and fresh herbs.

Was the '60s the high-watermark of the savoury mousse? We've taken inspiration from parties of the past for our lobster mousse, served with golden oily Melba toast for dipping.