Yellow onion

North African eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce. One pan, twenty minutes, feeds a crowd. My go-to for lazy Sunday brunch.

Dum-style biryani: marinated chicken layered with saffron rice and slow-cooked under a sealed dough lid. The steam does the work.

Silky spinach sauce, golden-fried paneer cubes. The green is preserved by the ice-bath trick. My mother's version, not the restaurant version.

The quesabirria that took over the internet. Beef braised in a chile-tomato consomme, shredded and griddle-fried in a cheese taco. Dip in the consomme.

Five pounds of onions, three hours, one transcendent bowl. The caramelization cannot be rushed. Anyone who says 30 minutes is lying to you.

Tuscan bread soup meant to be made the day before and 're-boiled' the next day. Gets better every time.

The crown jewel of Punjabi cooking. Black lentils slow-cooked overnight with butter, cream, and tomatoes. Do not rush this.

Lebanese lentils and rice with masses of caramelized onions. Humble pantry food that will make you understand why people call it holy.

Tonkatsu on a bed of glossy Japanese curry sauce and steamed rice. The S&B curry roux is non-negotiable.

The original low-and-slow. Julia Child didn't invent this, she just made it approachable. Two-day version here — day one braise, day two it's perfect.

Braised veal shanks with gremolata. One of Italy's greatest dishes. The marrow in the bone is the prize.

A Mexican celebration soup: pork, hominy, and a deep red chile broth. Topped at the table with shredded cabbage, radish, lime, and oregano.