Anika and Suani deliver strongest dishes in recipe swap of The Great American Recipe

The Great American Recipe episode 4 aired on August 1, 2025, and brought one of the most difficult challenges of the season.

In the first round, the home cooks made recipes from the judges. Then in the second round, they faced a surprise twist, a recipe swap.

Each cook had to make a dish created by another contestant. Many of the recipes were from different cultures and included ingredients or techniques the cooks had never used before.​

“This week is the biggest test of your confidence and ability to adapt in the kitchen,” the judges explained.

With recipes ranging from Bangladeshi salmon broth to Afghan dumplings and Filipino stuffed milkfish, the challenge demanded technical precision and creativity.

Among the standout performances were Suani and Anika, both of whom managed to stay true to their assigned dishes while adding small, personal touches.

Suani recreated Kobe’s shrimp creole over fried fish, while Anika made Wal’s oshak dumplings with yogurt and beef sauce.

As this episode of The Great American Recipe ended, Suani was named the winner for the round after making two strong dishes.

Anika was also praised by the judges for her flavor choices and for handling the spice and balance in a dish she had never tried before.

Suani impresses judges with her take on shrimp creole over fried fish in The Great American Recipe

 

 

 

 

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Suani took on Kobe’s Southern-style shrimp creole and fried fish, her second dish from the American South in the same episode.

Although unfamiliar with Cajun cuisine, she added her own twist by incorporating fish sauce and oyster sauce into the fish batter.

She also paid close attention to the shrimp creole sauce, carefully building the base flavors before adding the shrimp toward the end.

Her fish received immediate praise for its crust and seasoning. Tim Hollingsworth said,

“I’ve never had a fried fish where the dredge was so flavorful.”

Tiffany Derry added,

“That sauce was rich. It was hearty. Really well spiced.”

The judges said the shrimp was a little overcooked, which made it feel grainy. But they thought the rest of the dish was done well and had a lot of flavor.

Suani was praised for adding her own style while keeping the main parts of the dish in The Great American Recipe.

She was named the winner of the round. Tiffany told her, “You stepped out of your comfort zone and it really paid off for you.” Suani responded that she was thrilled to succeed with a style of cooking she rarely attempted.

Anika’s Afghan dumpling dish wins praise for flavor and balance in The Great American Recipe

Anika was assigned Wal’s oshak, Afghan leek-filled dumplings topped with a spicy ground beef sauce and garlic yogurt.

It was her first time making dumplings, and she admitted that the number of ingredients and unfamiliar steps made it one of the hardest dishes she had cooked on the show so far.

After tasting her sauce mid-preparation, Anika realized it was too spicy in The Great American Recipe. She adjusted by incorporating labneh into both the sauce and filling to mellow the heat. During judging, the panel acknowledged her smart adaptation and flavor control.

Tiffany Derry said,

“Interpreting a dish that you’ve never had before and putting your perspective on that dish, I think you did a great job.”

Francis Lam added,

“The filling… it’s really, really nice.”

There were small critiques about execution. The beef could have been cooked longer for tenderness, and the judges felt that two dumplings on the plate were not quite enough to represent the dish’s centerpiece.

Despite that, Anika’s ability to balance spice and richness in an unfamiliar format was well received.

Her attention to flavor and quick thinking under pressure earned her a spot among the top dishes of the round.

The judges appreciated her thoughtful approach and noted her growth in the The Great American Recipe.

Stay tuned for more updates.

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