Asian

Chewy, flaky, rich paratha is always a crowd-pleaser.

Fish fragrant sauce doesn’t actually have any fish in it, but the sweet, sour, and spicy elements in the sauce are traditionally used to cook Sichuan fish dishes, and it gives this dish its name.

This dish is full of a bewitching fragrance that comes from steaming it under a generous cap of fermented greens, exchanging aromas and flavors.

These yogurt-marinated kebabs are infused with flavor from ginger, garlic, and spices. Pick all your fixings and tuck into the perfect bite.

The defining characteristic of this chile sauce is the crispness, and in my version I’ve included old-fashioned rolled oats and coconut flakes for extra crunch. You will find me adding it to pasta, eggs, jook, pizza and, of course, roasted vegetables. 

For an easy, low-cook dinner, toss canned chickpeas with potatoes, cilantro-mint chutney, tamarind chutney, and yogurt, then top with chiles, onions, tomatoes, and chaat masala.

This dish is inspired by a Thai-Chinese favorite, bami haeng, served from food carts and casual open-air eateries in Thailand.

This Indonesian plate of blanched vegetables, boiled eggs, and tofu is served with a spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet peanut sauce for drizzling and dipping. Add salty-savory shrimp chips for scooping.

This peanut sauce recipe is based on my mom's version, which accompanies Gado Gado. Raw peanuts are roasted on the stovetop or in the oven, and then ground. You'll also have to hunt down tamarind pulp and lime leaves, but it's worth the trouble—the addition of freshly roasted peanuts and fragrant herbs makes for unsurpassed flavor.

Make coconut sticky rice in the microwave for creamy, perfectly tender results in under 10 minutes. Serve it with shredded coconut, toasted sesame seeds, and of course, ripe mango slices.

If Thai food were laid out as one of those nutritional pyramids they showed you in health class, green papaya salad would be at the bottom, right above rice. In other words: It is fundamental. 

This low-effort, high-flavor tomato demonstrates how the Thai concept of balancing flavors can be achieved in different combinations.

To make delicious iced chai, finely grind the spices to extract their flavors, then simmer the spices and tea in milk to fully hydrate them.

Sinuglaw is a combination of fish ceviche—in this case, vinegar-cured tuna—plus smoky grilled pork belly. The flavorful dish gets dressed with coconut milk, ginger, red onion, chiles, and tomato.