Pasta recipes

Battered eggplant slices deep-fried until crispy and drizzled with a spicy Sichuan sauce of chili bean paste, black vinegar, ginger, and tomato paste. A vegetarian Chinese dish with serious crunch and heat.

Asian braised vegetables with miso, ginger, daikon, mushrooms, and winter squash tossed in a glossy soy-cornstarch glaze. Vegan, hearty, and done in an hour. Bonus: leftover stock makes a quick tofu soup.

Traditional Chinese New Year noodles with glass noodles, dried mushrooms, lily buds, and fermented bean curd sauce. Long noodles symbolize longevity and good fortune.

Deep-fried chicken chunks in a water chestnut flour batter, tossed with crispy peanuts and scallions in a fiery sauce of chili-garlic paste, dark soy, red vinegar, and sesame oil. Authentic Chinese restaurant-style kung pao.

Szechuan chicken in sesame paste with toasted peppercorns, green tea, ginger, and red pepper flakes, served cold in lettuce wraps. A spicy, make-ahead Chinese appetizer.

Sweet and sour pork the proper way: marinated pork cubes battered and deep-fried crisp, then tossed in a homemade sweet-sour sauce with peppers, carrots and lychees. Crunchy, glossy and far better than takeout.

Louisiana-style shrimp and chicken gumbo with smoked sausage, the holy trinity, and a dry-roasted oven roux. No-mess deep brown roux that drives serious Cajun flavor.

If you're having friends over, then don't hesitate to make this hearty dish made with succulent ham, smoked sausage and hot pepper sauce.

Crispy deep-fried spring rolls packed with stir-fried tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and julienned vegetables seasoned with garlic, curry paste, and soy for an addictive Thai appetizer.

Wok-seared lobster tossed in a fiery Szechuan chili sauce with hoisin, ginger, garlic, and dried red chilies. Restaurant-quality stir-fry ready in just 15 minutes from start to plate.

Hollowed oranges stuffed with brown rice, chickpeas, and raisins dressed in an orange-tahini sauce with cumin and paprika. A stunning vegetarian main or side.

Satsuma Jiru is a hearty Japanese miso pork and vegetable stew with daikon, sweet potato, shiitake mushrooms, konnyaku, and burdock root. A rustic regional comfort soup finished with shichimi togarashi.

Authentic Pad Thai with chicken, shrimp, fried tofu, rice noodles, and tamarind-fish sauce dressing. Topped with crushed peanuts, bean sprouts, lime, and cilantro.

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My copycat version of the top secret famous A1 Steak Sauce.

Beef and pork chili with four pounds of ground meat, pinto beans, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, and oregano simmered for two hours. A big-batch, no-shortcuts meat chili topped with cheddar.