21 Eid recipes

21 Eid recipes

Warm hummus with pine nuts, raisins and olives

Start the celebrations with this dip to share. Turn a storecupboard staple into this vibrant meze dish and sprinkle with jewel-like pine nuts, raisins and olives.

We've got lots more easy dip recipes to try too.

Firni

If you haven’t tasted firni, you are in for a treat. This refined cousin of rice pudding makes appearances at weddings, Eid and other special celebrations. Scented with cardamom and pandan extract, firni is served chilled, scattered with rose petals and pistachios, either in individual portions or in a large sharing dish.

See more cardamom recipes.

Prawn karahi

Plenty of spice, fresh prawns and ripe tomatoes are key to this authentic Pakistani prawn curry, finished with green chilli and ginger.

Browse more prawn recipes.

Kulfi

This Pakistani dessert combines cardamom, sweetened condensed milk, ricotta and saffron – roll in ground pistachios for an extra flourish. This is a recipe that Sumayya Usmani shared as part of her guide to Pakistani cuisine. Check it out to learn about the aromatic flavours of this diverse South Asian country.

For more kulfi flavour inspiration, try our spiced coffee kulfi or raspberry and rosewater kulfi recipes.

Bundoo Khan-style chicken boti tikka

Sumayya Usmani's Pakistani chicken tikka is the real deal – thread marinated chicken onto bamboo skewers and serve with tamarind chutney and fluffy naan.

For a vegetarian alternative, try our paneer tikka masala.

Cheat's laghman

Laghman is a Uyghur noodle dish topped with a mild stew of meat and vegetables. Uyghur cooks rightly demand that the noodles should be hand-pulled, but they are pros at the delicate and tricky art of pulling and flinging noodles, and if you’re not, well, it is challenging to put it mildly. This version (reluctantly) cheats on the noodles but brings you the warming flavours of laghman, a dish served throughout Central Asia.

Browse our best noodle recipes for more ideas.

Chickpea sambusa

Flaky and buttery sambusa, Central Asia’s beloved turnovers are known in Tajikistan as sambusa. Try this version from Dushanbe with with chickpea, spinach and mint, best enjoyed with a cup of green tea.

Discover more puff pastry recipes for sharing with a crowd.

Lamb meatballs with labneh and flatbreads

Combine gently spiced lamb, date and pine nut meatballs with thick, creamy fresh cheese (known as labneh) and plenty of herbs to make a great plated starter or canapés. Serve with dukkah-sprinkled flatbreads for scooping.

Take your pick of more meatball recipes.

Occe (spring onion fritters)

Occe are a Turkish speciality – locals make them with lots of spring onions, herbs and fresh garlic, when in season. Dunk the pan-fried, herby spring onion fritters into a garlicky yogurt dip and enjoy alongside a Turkish meze-style spread.

Browse more Turkish recipes to add to your spread.

Gulab jamun

Gulab jamun is an Indian sweet dessert of cake-like doughnuts soaked in a rose-cardamom syrup. Enjoy chilled with tea or warm with ice cream.

For a showstopper dessert, try this gulab jamun cake recipe from Gurdeep Loyal.

Party pakoras

These party pakoras are an Indian-Mexican remix – the mellow paneer contrasts against tangy jalapeños and a sweet tamarind dipping sauce. Once you’ve mastered the method, the flavour combinations are endless.

See more paneer recipes to try.

Fistikli un kurabiyesi (pistachio shortbread cookies)

These crumbly, buttery biscuits are a Turkish national favourite for special occasions – this version features pistachios in the dough for extra flavour and texture.

We've got plenty more biscuit recipes to please a sweet tooth.

Warm aubergine, pomegranate and onion salad

This slow cooker recipe is a great make-ahead option. Once you’ve seen how easy it is to cook tender aubergines without slaving over a griddle, or risking tong burns over an open flame, you’ll make this again and again
Check out our best slow cooker recipes for more hands-off cooking.

Mango shrikand

Shrikhand is a creamy Indian dessert made from strained yogurt that’s flavoured with aromatic spice or tropical fruits. This pavlova has a rose-scented crunchy-chewy meringue base and mango shrikhand topping that’s a little tart and zingy. With toasted almonds and coconut for some extra textural crunch, it really does have it all.

If you don't fancy making meringue, try this sticky mango upside down cake recipe.

Chapati

Warm chapatis are ideal for mopping up saucy curries or dhals – and they're really easy to make at home with only a handful of ingredients.

If you like making homemade breads, try following our naan bread or roti canai recipes next.

Cauliflower couscous salad

Check out our vibrant roast cauliflower salad recipe with giant couscous, crispy fried onions and a punchy zhoug dressing. This easy salad is vegan too.

See more cauliflower recipes.

Spiced cod fritters with harissa honey dip

Sabrina Gayhour shared her recipe for these crunchy fish fritters scented with lime, turmeric, garlic and lots of fresh herbs. Serve with the sweet and spicy harissa-honey dip for dunking.

If you've got vegetarians to feed, check out our best vegetarian fritter recipes.

One-pan chicken with dates and caramelised lemon

Jammy lemons and plump roasted dates are cooked with this chicken for an easy yet alternative whole chicken dish that will make an impressive centrepiece.

See more one-pot recipes.

Chickpea and vegetable koftas with tahini yogurt sauce

A gluten-free and vegetarian recipe, these spiced veggie koftas are made with chickpeas and served with a nutty tahini sauce.

Browse our chickpea recipes for more ways to use this storecupboard staple.

Carrot-halwa millionaire bars

This decadent hybrid recipe combines a buttery pistachio shortbread base with a layer of kewra (or pandan extract) scented caramel, and moreish, fudgy carrot halwa topping.

Halwa fans should also try our warming halva-topped rice pudding recipe.

Aloo gobi mattar

A classic Indian side dish (and a vegan one at that), this celebration of Jersey Royals, cauliflower and peas comes from Asma Khan of Darjeeling Express.

Next, try our colourful aloo tikki chaat recipe.