Asian

The egg in this fried rice is cooked by a super easy method. Rather than being made like the classic egg "crêpe," the egg is cooked right in the well of the rice, which creates a much more delicate texture.

Editor's note:
This recipe is adapted from chef Joseph Poon. He also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Poon and Cantonese cuisine, click here. Chop suey is an Americanized Cantonese dish that dates back to the late 1800s, when it was served in Western mining camps and in San Francisco's Chinatown. The usual components are bean sprouts, sliced celery, onions, meat, and water chestnuts, all stir-fried with soy sauce. Chef Poon updates and lightens the dish by using a sophisticated array of vegetables and tofu instead of meat, and blanching the ingredients instead of frying.

Jhinga Mangaloree This dish is from the southern Indian coastal state of Karnataka, where seafood is an important part of the diet. The shrimp has extraordinary flavor. I sometimes vary the recipe by adding 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut along with the mustard seeds, or 2 to 6 chopped small fresh green chiles with the scallion. Serve with green chutney or lemon wedges, lemon rice, and a raita.

Idlee is the world-famous south Indian breakfast or tiffin treat.

This barfi is a fudge is made with cashew nuts that have been soaked in water.

This tried and true recipe, a Hong Kong tradition of chicken roasted in the Chinese manner, has a long history in my family. It is the dish I have made when, because of circumstances, our family has not eaten together: my older son off to swimming practice, my daughter to ballet, and my younger son to lacrosse. Or I am off to a cooking class and I must leave dinner in the oven.

(Narial Chutney) Editor's note: These instructions are excerpted from Julie Sahni's book Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking. Sahni also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. This is the most popular relish of South India. Although its flavor will vary from state to state, it consists essentially of freshly grated coconut and mustard seeds. The mustard seeds are sizzled in hot oil and folded into the coconut. Some Indians flavor the relish with ground roasted yellow split peas (bhona channa dal ka ataa); others with tomato. But the most refreshing and fragrant is the Malayali version from Kerala, which adds chopped fresh coriander. This herb also tints the relish a very appealing pale green color. Coconut relish generally accompanies southern delicacies. Serve it with Foamy White Steamed Rice and Bean Dumplings and with southern or southwestern vegetarian meals that are characteristically flavored with black mustard seeds.

(Idlee Sambaar) Editor's note: These instructions are excerpted from Julie Sahni's book Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking. Sahni also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. Idlee sambaar is one of the great classic dishes of Indian vegetarian cooking. The dish consists of split peas in a spicy vegetable sauce that is a slightly milder version of the lentil and vegetable stew called sambaar. Radish and onion are the primary vegetables used to make this sauce, because their distict fragrance provides a marvelous contrast to the dumplings. Idlee sambaar traditionally are served in a generous amount of sauce in individual soup plates. Other spicy accompaniments, such as coconut chutney , Red Gun Powder (see tips, below), and hot-spicy pickles are also traditional. In India idlee sambaar are always served at tiffin or brunch.

This puffy deep-fried bread has a beautiful sheen and is wonderfully flaky. Its ravishing appearance is matched only by its exquisite flavor. This is why poori is generally served at parties, special dinners, wedding banquets, and most festive occasions. 

Editor's note:
The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Grace Young's book The Breath of a Wok. Young also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. For Young's article on Cantonese cooking, click here. Chef Yip Wing Wah, of the Spring Moon Restaurant in Hong Kong, garnishes these exquisite dumplings with a dollop of crab roe, which can be substituted for the carrots.

Editor's note:
The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Grace Young's book The Breath of a Wok. Young also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. For Young's article on Cantonese cooking, click here. Chef Lee Wan Ching of Yee Hen restaurant on Lantau Island, Hong Kong, taught me this recipe. Traditionally ginger is always cooked with broccoli — its warmth balances the coolness of yin vegetables such as broccoli. Just a small amount of ginger juice intensifies the flavor of the vegetables. To make ginger juice, grate a small amount of ginger and then squeeze it with your fingers to extract the juice.

Jada Pinkett-Smith gets a lean, muscle-building protein kick from these marinated turkey skewers, which she recently served at a luau and which come from her personal chef, Bernie Guzman.

If you're looking for a way to get soy-good-for-you tofu into your diet, call off the search. This cabbage-based blend busts the myth that tofu is tasteless. Our secret weapon: rich (but not fattening) peanut-yogurt dressing.

Toss the takeout! This slimmed-down dish is delish. Traditional Chinese cuisine is among the healthiest, but the American version of sweet-and-sour pork is sugary and fatty. Ying Chang Compestine, author of Secrets From a Healthy Asian Kitchen (Penguin Putnam), gave the recipe a healthy revamp — hers uses the leanest part of the pig and gets its sweetness from fruit. So break out the chopsticks and savor these Far East flavors straight from your stove top.

Although this recipe has a long ingredients list, it's a snap to throw together, even when you're zapped by sneezes and sniffles. Best of all, you'll be feeling better in a flash — chicken soup is a true germ conqueror, and the spiciness kicks up the cure a notch.

Eastern expert: Ming Tsai, chef-owner of Blue Ginger in Wellesley, Massachusetts, star and creator of the show East Meets West With Ming Tsai on the Food Network. What you'll love: The fresh and healthy idea of combining raw greens with pasta. Said one taster, "I'd never thought to do that before, but I'd do it again."

The great thing about the marinade in this recipe is that the thick yogurt helps it stick to the chicken perfectly, so you get its full flavor in the final dish. Regular basting with ghee produces a tender, melt-in-your-mouth result.

Western stocks are loaded with aromatics and many Asian stocks include ginger. This simple stock has a pure chicken flavor.

Po Ho Thng Although this fragrant soup, reminiscent of Chinese egg drop, is meant to be sipped throughout the meal (its clean flavor cools the palate between dishes), we'd make it even if we weren't preparing the rest of this menu. It's incredibly easy (the stock can be made ahead) and requires only a few ingredients.

Enid P. Saldana of San Juan, Puerto Rico, writes: "I would love to get the recipe for the lychee Martini they serve at Kittichai, in New York City." This summer, enjoy a vodka Martini with a real twist — lychee. The exotic sweetness of the fruit brightens the citrus flavors in this truly refreshing drink.