Jennifer Pallian

Food scientist Jennifer Pallian breaks down the factors that go into making the best classic, chewy, crumbly and cake chocolate chip cookies.

Pull out your tongs—grilling season is here! One of the best ways to tenderize and layer tons of flavour into a protein is to marinate it first. 

Look for the 1⁄4-in.-thin-cut flanken-style beef short ribs for the most delicious fall-off-the-bone ribs. The 1⁄2-in.-thick ones will work in a pinch, but the marinade won’t permeate the meat as thoroughly. The marinade’s sweet-spicy-umami combination makes it irresistible.

A food scientist's foolproof tips for adding more crisp to your life.

These savoury Indian fritters are delicious dunked in tamarind chutney and served with hot chai. Find chickpea flour in the natural-foods section of most grocery stores or in Indian grocers (or, if you have a high-powered blender, you can make your own from dry chickpeas!). —Jennifer Pallian

In this homemade version of a take-out favourite, bite-sized pieces of chicken are battered and fried to crisp golden-brown and then tossed in an irresistible sticky sauce made with fresh lemon juice and zest. —Jennifer Pallian

A kitchen scale is vital for this recipe—a slight difference in flour volume can throw off the ratio.