Asian

(Soy and Vinegar Marinated Cornish Hens)

Thai food lovers will recognize this soup as the classic tom yaam goong. In its homeland the dish would have far more hot chilies. We've toned down the heat for newcomers to this cuisine, but veterans can add more chilies to make this soup as incendiary as they wish.

Based on the classic Thai dish called larb, this pretty appetizer is easy to put together.

Garam means "hot" and masala means "spiced," though the mixture is not chili-hot. Instead the classic garam masala spices called for in the recipe-cardamom, cloves, black pepper, cumin, and cinnamon-are warmly aromatic.

Turmeric add color and chilies add heat to this superb side dish. Mound it in the middle of the Vegetable Stir-fry.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Salamander's chef, Stan Frankenthaler, combines mussels with spicy sausage and Thai flavorings, such as coconut milk and lime juice.

You can control the heat by adjusting the amount of chili oil used. Serve with swordfish, tuna or fried wonton chips.

Although several varieties of basil are used in Southeast Asia, the most common-called rau que in Vietnam and bai gaprow in Thailand-is generally referred to as Thai basil in Asian markets on this side of the Pacific. The leaves are slightly darker and narrower than the more familiar Italian basil and have purple stems and flowers. Rau que has a distinctively pungent anise flavor, but Italian basil is a perfectly acceptable substitute.

(Thai Eggplant Salad) Thai dishes known as yams are often translated into English as "salads", perhaps for lack of a better word. Like salads, yams are often served at room temperature and include fresh herbs and raw vegetables. Unlike salads, however, which Westerners often eat to refresh their palates, yams are anything but shy in flavor. In Thailand they are often served when people get together for a glass of beer and want something to nibble on. In this yam, Asian eggplants - long and narrow and ranging from deep purple to pale violet - are broiled and tossed with shallots, Vietnamese coriander, and a dressing that is at once salty, sour, spicy, and slightly sweet. After you have made the salad once, you may want to experiment with the balance of seasonings, perhaps increasing the chili heat. Vietnamese coriander is known in Vietnam as rau ram and in Thailand as pak chi wietnam. It is usually sold in open bunches or in cellophane and can be found at Vietnamese and Thai markets.

In classic Chinese cooking, noodles destined for soup are cooked separately and added at the last minute so that the starch from the pasta doesn't cloud the broth. Because we were aiming for a rib-sticking dish, we broke with tradition and cooked the noodles right in the stock, allowing the starch to thicken the soup slightly.

Chef Beverly Gannon accompanies the bread with this salsa, plus a garlic-ginger yogurt dipping sauce and a tomato-mint sauce.

Curry dishes are usually served over rice, but pasta is a delicious change.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. All over Southeast Asia, yellow is associated with gods, royalty and feasts, and any celebration is likely to have a large dish of yellow rice like this at the center of the table.