Lemongrass

This hot and tangy Thai version of coleslaw is one of those dishes that I don't know if they really serve in Thailand but it certainly seems they should. I like it more than traditional coleslaw, and it seems to better suit our modern-day taste for lighter dishes and for the forthright flavors of Asian ingredients. I serve this salad with grilled meats — it's especially great with spare ribs.

Flavored vinegars can be used to enliven dressings and marinades, finish pan sauces, or pickle vegetables--and they make wonderful gifts. Once the steeping is completed, these vinegars keep for several months. (Garnishes and other solids left in the jar, however, may discolor or breakdown.)

Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 2 hr Traditionally sprinkled over veal, a classic Italian gremolata is made of lemon zest, parsley, and garlic. Chef Odessa Piper's take on it trades lemon and garlic for lemongrass and lime zest, giving the topping a lighter, more citrusy flavor that perfectly complements the mild trout.

A thin but flavorful low-fat sauce that serves as a dipping sauce and marinade.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

The key ingredient to this Sri-Lankan-style curry with fatty pork, lemongrass, and fragrant spices? Black peppercorn and lots of it.

Chill out with this spicy beef noodle soup recipe that boasts both chile heat and a steaming broth. The two kinds of heat work in tandem to cool you down.

Meaty oyster mushrooms are great at absorbing spices and offer a chewy-firm contrast to bright and crunchy snap peas or snow peas in this versatile stir-fry.

Gently poached in an aromatic broth, these plump and juicy shrimp balls come together in a snap in the food processor for an easy weeknight meal.

With lots of crunchy green beans, caramelized lemon, toasted nuts, and creamy cheese, this is somewhere between a great pasta and a delicious salad.

Meltingly tender short ribs braised in a rich coconut-milk-based sauce stay bright thanks to Thai flavors and fresh lime. Be sure to make plenty of rice!

Saucy and spicy with lots of garlic and lemongrass, these ribs come together entirely on the stovetop. No grill or oven required.

A fragrant marinade of lemongrass, shallots, and Thai chiles adds tons of flavor to quickly grilled lamb chops.

You’ll want one of these delightfully frosty lime slushies, infused with lemongrass and sweetened with honey, in hand at every summer cookout.

Sweet, spicy, and aromatic, these vibrantly delicious galangal-and-lemongrass–marinated beef skewers are a Cambodian street food staple. 

Basting a rib eye with jarred crab paste adds flavor and intensity with almost no effort.

Adjust the heat in this riff on Thai tom kha gai to your liking—use one chile for mild heat, two for medium, and three if you want sweat beading on your brow.

Rich, spiced, and full of coconutty goodness and zingy lime, this version of the traditional Indonesian dish uses bone-in chicken thighs to cut the cooking time to just under an hour.

A nut-free riff on Egyptian dukkah lends heat, sweetness, and crunch to these tender coconut-braised carrots.

Nam prik is a delicious chile-based dip found all over Thailand. Here's our healthyish take on it.