Asian

In a Korean home or restaurant, grilled ribs (kalbi kui) would be accompanied by the spicy pickled cabbage called kimchi. It's available in the refrigerated foods section of some supermarkets and at Korean and Asian markets. For the ribs, have the butcher cut the flanken across the bones into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Begin marinating the ribs one day ahead. What to drink: Asian lager.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 45 min

"At Highland's Garden Cafe in Denver, Colorado, I had an unusual and delicious lunch entrée of fish with sambal vinaigrette and wasabi cream," says William Starret, Jr. of Washington, D.C. "I would greatly appreciate it if you could get the recipe for me."

Wasabi powder is fiery-hot, so adjust the proportion in the butter according to your heat tolerance. An Asian noodle salad from the deli, blanched sugar snap peas sprinkled with sesame seeds, and a bakery lime tart would be cooling additions to the menu.

Start marinating the fish at least four hours ahead so that the spice flavor comes through.

Marinating the lamb for one day in a thick mixture of yogurt, lime juice, and spices intensifies the Indian tastes.

Serve with: Jasmine rice and a cucumber, red bell pepper, and sweet onion salad with rice wine dressing.

Mung bean sprouts, commonly known simply as bean sprouts, are available in the produce section of most supermarkets.

There are many different kinds of pork dumplings, and siu mai are one of the most popular, typically served in dim sum restaurants. When homemade, the dumplings are unsurpassed, if they are made with an equal amount of fresh water chestnuts to ground pork, Chinese mushrooms, cilantro, and scallions. Siu mai are distinctly different from other dumplings, because they are made with round won ton skins, not the typical square-shaped skins. Each brand has a different thickness of dough, but the thinner the better; the dumplings will be more delicate. If round won ton skins are not available, I cut square wrappers into 3-inch-wide circles. This recipe makes about 3 1/2 dozen siu mai. Steam as many as you need, or cover in plastic wrap, refrigerate, and steam within two to three hours.

I first tasted scallion cakes at Henry Chung's Hunan Restaurant on Kearny Street in San Francisco. I think I was about eleven years old as I sat on a stool at the counter and watched these curious rounds of dough being fried until golden brown and fragrant with scallion flavor. As I devoured the delicious, crisp cakes, Mama looked on, pleased that I loved them, for she had grown up eating them as a favorite street snack in China. This was the first Hunan restaurant I'd ever eaten in and, until then, our diet had been strictly Cantonese food. Be careful when frying these cakes, as the oil will splatter, especially when you press a cake in its center. Any uncooked dough can be placed in a plastic container, refrigerated, and cooked the following day. If you do make them ahead, redust the dough lightly with flour to absorb any moisture from refrigeration, and allow the dough to sit at room temperature briefly so that it is not ice-cold when fried.

These powerfully seasoned chicken breasts grill up smoky and moist. Serve with minted iced tea and Asian beers. For dessert, offer mango sorbet with pineapple.

If canned unsweetened coconut milk is not readily available in your area, you may substitute 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon sweetened flaked coconut. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This soup, known as congee or jook, is found in one form or another in many Asian countries and is eaten at all times of day. At breakfast plain congee is the norm, served with a variety of strongly flavored accompaniments — such as pickled turnips, salted fish, and peanuts — to awaken the palate. We love the flavor and color the pumpkin gives the soup. Those who like oatmeal for breakfast might enjoy this with just a touch of sugar; or leave it plain and top it with the recommended accompaniments.

Thai cooking frequently makes use of cilantro roots; their flavor is more pronounced than that of the leaves.

By cooking the rice and toasting the walnuts ahead, you can take this dish from skillet to table in a very short time.

The mangoes must be completely unripe in order to achieve the firm, chunky texture desired for this chutney. This recipe was created to accompany Lamb Stew with Black Mustard Seeds. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"An Indian friend of my mother's gave her this recipe for beef curry back in 1936," writes Bill Goodhue of Chino, California. "The recipe has been passed on to me, so I can still enjoy the sweet-spicy flavors of this stew more than 60 years later."