There is something undeniably special about sharing a meal with the person you love and admire, especially when it's crafted with care and is homemade, healthy, yet delicious. Whether you are planning a quiet dinner night or a romantic candlelight dinner, healthy meals are a must to indulge in! With Foodism, explore some healthy meals for two, perfect for your dinner ideas or romantic date nights. 

So light a candle, turn on your favourite playlist, and make a toast to your partner with these feel-good dinner ideas made for two; Yes! Just the two of you - 

Spiced Burrata with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Garlic Naan Crisps

Ingredients:

• 1 ball of fresh burrata
• 200g cherry tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• 1 tsp chilli oil (or olive oil with red pepper flakes)
• 1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder
• Fresh mint or coriander oil (blend herbs with olive oil)
• 1 garlic naan or pita bread
• Salt, pepper

Instructions:

To make Spiced Burrata with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes & Garlic Naan Crisps - 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F).
2. Toss cherry tomatoes with olive oil, smashed garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 15-20 minutes until blistered and soft.
3. Meanwhile, toast naan or pita in the oven or on a skillet until crisp. Cut into wedges.
4. Place the burrata in the centre of a serving plate. Surround with warm tomatoes.
5. Drizzle the spiced burrata with chilli oil and a pinch of roasted cumin powder.
6. Finish with herb oil and serve with the crisped naan wedges.

Saffron Cream Tagliatelle with Tandoori Prawns

Ingredients:

• 150g tagliatelle or fettuccine
• 200g prawns, peeled and deveined
• 2 tbsp plain yoghurt
• 1/2 tsp tandoori masala or paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt, pepper to taste
• 100ml heavy cream
• A few strands of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
• 1 tbsp butter
• Fresh coriander or parsley to garnish

Instructions:

To make Saffron Cream Tagliatelle with Tandoori Prawns - 

1. Marinate the prawns in yoghurt, tandoori masala, garlic paste, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Let it sit for 20 minutes.
2. Heat a grill pan or skillet. Cook prawns 2–3 minutes per side until charred and cooked through. Set aside.
3. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and reserve some pasta water.
4. In a pan, melt butter and add the cream and saffron milk. Simmer for 2–3 minutes.
5. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and toss gently. Add a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
6. Plate the pasta and top with grilled prawns. Garnish with chopped herbs.
7. Yes! Your  Saffron Cream Tagliatelle with Tandoori Prawns is ready to dig in. 

Rocket & Pomegranate Salad with Cumin-Honey Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh arugula (rocket)
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp toasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

To make Rocket & Pomegranate Salad with Cumin-Honey Vinaigrette - 

1. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, toasted cumin powder, lemon juice, and salt.
2. In a salad bowl, combine arugula and pomegranate seeds.
3. Just before serving, drizzle with vinaigrette and toss gently.

Rose & Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

Ingredients:

• 200ml heavy cream
• 100ml whole milk
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp rose water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp gelatin powder (or 2 gelatin sheets)
• Crushed pistachios for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

To make Rose & Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta - 

1. In a saucepan, heat cream, milk, and sugar until just about to boil. Remove from heat.
2. Add vanilla and rose water. Stir well.
3. Bloom gelatin in cold water (or dissolve gelatin powder in a bit of warm water) and stir into the warm cream mixture until fully dissolved.
4. Pour the mixture into ramekins or dessert glasses. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
5. Serve the  Rose & Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta chilled, topped with crushed pistachios if desired.

Tandoori Spiced Grilled Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:

• 300g boneless chicken
• 1/4 cup yoghurt
• 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, salt
• Lemon juice

Instructions:

To make Tandoori Spiced Grilled Chicken Skewers - 

1. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes. Skewer and grill/pan sear until golden.
2. Serve the Tandoori Spiced Grilled Chicken Skewers with herbed couscous or salad.

Coconut-Lemongrass Curry

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp oil, 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 stalk lemongrass (bruised)
• 1/2 tsp curry powder
• 200 ml coconut milk
• Vegetables of your choice

Instructions:

To make Coconut-Lemongrass Curry - 

1. Sauté onions and garlic. Add curry powder and lemongrass.
2. Add coconut milk and simmer. Add veggies. Cook until done.
3. Your Coconut-Lemongrass Curry is ready to enjoy. 

Crab and Prawn Tikki Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Crab and Prawn Mixture:

• 200g fresh crab meat (or canned crab meat, if fresh is not available)
• 200g prawns, peeled and deveined
• 1 medium potato, boiled and mashed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1-inch ginger, grated
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 egg (optional, for binding)

For Coating:

• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (for a crunchy exterior)
• 1 tbsp rice flour or cornflour (for crispness)
• 2-3 tbsp ghee or oil for shallow frying

Instructions: 

To make Crab and Prawn Tikki - 

1. Finely chop the prawns or pulse them in a food processor until you get a coarse paste. Ensure that the prawns are not too mushy; you want some texture in the tikkis.
2. If using fresh crab meat, pick through it to remove any shells. If using canned crab meat, drain and ensure it’s well-drained.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped prawns, crab meat, boiled and mashed potato, finely chopped onion, green chillies, grated ginger, minced garlic, chopped coriander, mint, lemon juice, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt, and black pepper.
4. Mix well until everything is combined into a sticky mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
5. If the mixture feels too loose and doesn't hold its shape, lightly beat an egg and add it to the mixture for binding. Alternatively, you can add a little more breadcrumbs to help hold the shape. The mixture should be firm enough to shape into tikkis.
6. Take small portions of the mixture and shape them into round or oval tikkis. Use your hands to gently press them so that they’re compact.
7. In a shallow dish, mix the breadcrumbs and rice flour (or cornflour).
8. Roll each tikki in this breadcrumb mixture to coat it evenly on all sides.
9. Heat ghee or oil in a shallow frying pan over medium heat.
10. Once the oil is hot, carefully place the tikkis in the pan. Do not overcrowd the pan; fry in batches if necessary.
11. Fry each tikki for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp. Keep flipping gently to avoid breaking them.
12. Once the tikkis are crisp and golden, remove them from the pan and drain excess oil on paper towels.
13. Serve the Crab and Prawn Tikki with a tangy tamarind chutney, mint chutney, or a spicy yoghurt dip on the side.

Garlic Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 300g button mushrooms (cleaned and halved or quartered)
• 6–8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp butter (or ghee for a more Indian flavour)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (to prevent the butter from burning)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (for Indian twist)
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional, for heat)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper (freshly cracked)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (optional – adds umami depth)
• 1 tbsp cream (optional, for richness)
• Fresh coriander or parsley, chopped, for garnish
• A squeeze of lemon juice (for freshness)

Instructions: 

To make Garlic Mushrooms - 

1. Clean mushrooms gently with a damp paper towel.
2. Cut them in halves or quarters if large; leave small ones whole.
3. Heat butter and oil in a pan over medium heat.
4. Add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for a few seconds.
5. Add chopped garlic and sauté until golden and fragrant (not burnt).
6. Add the mushrooms to the pan. Cook on medium-high heat.
7. Stir occasionally. Mushrooms will release water — let it evaporate so they can get browned and caramelised.
8. Add salt, pepper, chilli flakes, and soy sauce (if using).
9. Optional: Stir in a spoonful of cream for a rich, glossy finish.
10. Once mushrooms are golden and cooked through, turn off the heat.
11. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle chopped coriander over your garlic mushrooms. 

Avocado Salsa 

Base Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados, diced
• 1 medium tomato, finely chopped (remove seeds for less moisture)
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped (adjust to heat preference)
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper

Optional Add-ins for Fancy or Fusion Flavours:

• 1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder – adds a smoky depth
• 1 tbsp pomegranate pearls – for sweetness and pop
• Chopped mango or pineapple – for a tropical tang
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced – for punch
• A drizzle of olive oil or mustard oil – for silkiness and a gourmet finish
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mint – for coolness
• Dash of chaat masala (for Indian street-style zing)

Instructions:

To make Avocado Salsa - 

1. Dice everything finely and evenly for a balanced texture.
2. Scoop out the avocado and chop it into bite-sized chunks (don’t mash—it’s a salsa, not guacamole).
3. In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Gently toss everything to keep the avocados intact and chunky.
4. Add more lime juice, salt, or chilli as per your preference. 
5. Avocado browns quickly, so serve fresh!
6. If storing your avocado salsa for 30 minutes to 1 hour, press plastic wrap directly against the surface and refrigerate.

Chocolate Melting Middles

Instructions: 

For the cake:

• 100g dark chocolate (at least 60–70% cocoa)
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup (50g) caster sugar
• 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp rose water (a little goes a long way!)
• Pinch of salt

Optional for garnish:

• Dried rose petals (edible)
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla ice cream or rose kulfi
• Pistachio slivers or gold leaf for fancy flair

Ingredients:  

To make chocolate melting middles - 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F. 
2. Generously grease 4 ramekins with butter and lightly dust with cocoa powder or flour. Tap out the excess.
3. In a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler), gently melt the chocolate and butter together.
4. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until pale, thick, and slightly foamy (about 2–3 minutes). This incorporates air for a light texture.
6. Slowly pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, whisking gently to combine. Sift in the flour and salt.
7. Add rose water (start with 1/2 tsp — taste and add a tiny bit more if desired).
8. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared ramekins.
9. At this point, you can refrigerate them for up to 24 hours — just add 1–2 minutes extra baking time if baking from cold.
10. Place ramekins on a baking tray. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges are set but the centres are still soft.
11. Let them rest for a minute. Run a knife around the edges and carefully invert onto plates.
12. Tip: Dust your chocolate melting middles with powdered sugar and sprinkle edible rose petals. You can serve this with vanilla ice cream or rose kulfi. 

With these healthy and heartwarming dishes, you can light up your ordinary evening into a sparkling one. Take a moment to connect, unwind and savour a bite with your favourite person; after all, love is the best ingredient. 

If you have ever curated something special for your loved one, then share it with our vibrant food community on Foodism and spread love! Download Foodism now.