Spice Tonight: Easy Meals with a South Asian Twist, written by Kausar Raja, features an incredible collection of 100 everyday and celebratory meals with an exciting blend of flavors. A few highlights include Butter Chicken Bao, Chile Cheese and Garlic Parathas, One-Pan Lamb Kofta and Hasselback Potatoes, Paneer Kathi Rolls, and Desi Lasagna. I will also be sharing her recipe for Masala Fries at the end of the post.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book from Interlink Publishing in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Kausar Raja
Kausar Raja is a London-based home cook, recipe developer, and optometrist. “Inspired by the home-cooked meals lovingly prepared by her Pakistani mother,” she created @Kauscooks to share her passion for cooking and feeding others.
Her work has now been featured by Tesco, ASDA, Flora, Tilda, Knorr, and Amazon Fresh. This is Kausar’s debut cookbook.
Spice Tonight
Kausar begins Spice Tonight with an introduction along with a shopping list and a few spice blend recipes to get started.
She states, “This book is more than just a collection of recipes—it’s a celebration of flavor, culture and the simple techniques passed down through tradition that make cooking so special. It’s about bringing a taste of my home to yours and encouraging you to add your own flair along the way.”
Chapters are divided according to the following: Small Plates, Weeknight Winners, One-Pan Wonders, Takeout Favorites, Something Special, and Something Sweet.
The photography is provided by Liz and Max Haarala Hamilton with food styling by Kathy Kordalis and prop styling by Roya Fraser. Nearly every recipe is paired with a vibrant, full-page photo of the finished dish.
Measurements are listed in US Customary and Metric. Titles are written in English and/or the original language. Each recipe has a headnote with background information, yield, serving ideas, and helpful tips.
Masala Fries
There are so many incredible recipes packed into Spice Tonight, but I was immediately drawn to the Masala Fries. They are one of my favorite take-out snacks from a couple of local restaurants here in South Riding, but I had yet to make them at home.
Coated variations can be found in Kenya (Masala Chips/Chips Masala) with more dry spice coatings in South Asia. In Kausar’s version, freshly cooked fries are tossed in a sweet chili sauce glaze with warming spices to create a “perfect balance of tangy sweetness and aromatic heat.”
She mentions the fries can be cooked according to individual preferred methods. I personally used store-bought crinkle cut fries and heated them in the air fryer based on the package instructions.
If you do not have sweet chile sauce available, swap half the amount for honey and add about 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes.
More Dishes
I also made Chicken Tikka-Stuffed Mini Naans, Keema Pasta, Paneer Katsu Curry, and Pistachio Kunafa Cheesecake.
The Chicken Tikka-Stuffed Mini Naans recipe was one of Kausar’s most viral dishes of 2025 and I definitely see why. Soft flatbreads are filled with a creamy chicken tikka mixture and grated mozzarella, then enclosed and pan-fried on each side until golden. They are finished with a brushing of garlic butter.
The Keema Pasta is one of Kausar’s favorites for a comforting and hearty weeknight dinner. Cooked pasta is paired with a spiced ground meat (beef or lamb) sauce, tomatoes, and red pepper to create a flavorful, fragrant dish that comes together in minutes. Leftovers can also easily be frozen for future meals.
Of everything I cooked, the Paneer Katsu was my absolute favorite. A vibrant vegetarian twist on the Japanese Katsu, this recipe uses slices of paneer instead of meat coated in a spiced panko breading. The slices are fried on each side until golden, then served over steamed basmati rice with a homemade coconut curry sauce, scallions, red chilies, and lime.
We went for one of the more indulgent dessert options in the Something Sweet chapter with the Pistachio Kunafa Cheesecake. Kausar states, “this recipe combines the essence of kunafa with the internet’s viral Dubai chocolate treat.” She really brought them together in an unforgettable way with a toasted kataifi pistachio cream base topped with a no-bake pistachio white chocolate cheesecake filling, and chocolate ganache to finish.
Spice Tonight is a fantastic pick for those interested in a fusion of South Asian flavors incorporated into everyday, approachable meals with the home cook in mind. Many recipes come together in less than 30 minutes, while others require a little more planning ahead and are better for celebrations and get-togethers. There is a varied assortment of meat, seafood, and vegetable options.
Most of the ingredients are becoming more readily available in larger American grocery stores. Having a South Asian market nearby will be helpful in locating items such as Kashmiri red chile powder, dried fenugreek leaves, dried mango powder, ajwain seeds, masoor dal, tamarind paste, green and black cardamom pods, nigella seeds, and rose syrup.
Masala Fries Recipe
Excerpt from Spice Tonight
Masala Fries
Ingredients
- 1 pound 2 ounces (500 grams) fries
- 1 tablespoon butter or oil
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon red chile powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 3 tablespoons sweet chile sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- chopped fresh cilantro, sliced red chiles and scallions to garnish
Instructions
- First, cook your fries according to your preferred method.
- Heat the butter or oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste, ground spices and salt. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.
- Add the ketchup, sweet chile sauce, soy sauce and lemon juice along with 2 tablespoons of water.
- Mix well, then remove from the heat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water to reach your desired consistency.
- Add the cooked fries to the pan, tossing them in the spiced sauce until evenly coated.
- Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, red chiles and scallions. Enjoy!
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