Wok

Improv: Replace the shrimp with sea scallops and use only poblano chiles.

It's traditional to serve a whole chicken, including the head and feet, for Chinese New Year. The white meat symbolizes purity, and serving the entire bird represents unity. Plunging the chicken into ice water after poaching ensures that the meat is perfectly juicy and tender. A very simple but powerful dipping sauce tops it off. Use only a tiny amount — it's quite strong.

Cholar Dal This dal, a sweet version served at festive occasions, is the best we've ever tasted.

This spicy vegetarian curry is hearty enough for a comforting fall dinner. It's great simply ladled over steamed rice.

Pulissery This is the ultimate Keralan rice dish — sour, spicy, and with a strong coconut accent. For more information on grated coconut, coconut oil, and coconut milk. The Indian ingredients can be found at Indian markets and Kalustyan's (800-352-3451).

Cheera Thoren As cheera is hard to come by, we substituted red Swiss chard. The Indian ingredients can be found at Indian markets and Kalustyan's (800-352-3451).

We found that 1 green chile was enough, but add more if you like things fiery.

This authentic Cantonese version of chow mein features fresh egg noodles, which are fried into a cake that softens slightly when topped with a meat and vegetable sauce. Be careful not to mistake wonton noodles for Chinese egg noodles — although they look similar, wonton noodles don't have the same rich texture.

Chances are, your home stove isn't as powerful as the ones at your local Chinese restaurant, in which case a flat-bottomed wok will work best, as it has more contact with the heat than does a rounded one.

If Chinese broccoli isn't available in your area, you can substitute regular broccoli.

Roast ducks are readily available at Chinese markets and for takeout from many Chinese restaurants. Since red curry pastes vary in heat, we suggest tasting a tiny bit of the one you buy before using it.

Traditionally, the garlic and ginger in the marinade are minced, but Grace Young finds it easier to use a rasp grater.

This dish is a wonderful alternative to more traditional dressing. It's normal for a crust to develop on the bottom of the pot — after scooping out most of the rice, you can cook the crust a bit longer, then chip off the tasty morsels.