Pasta recipes

A Vietnamese twist on meat sauce with ground pork, fresh tomatoes, fish sauce, lime, and serrano chilies served over steamed rice. Ready in 30 minutes flat.

Crab and avocado salad with a spicy picante-mayo dressing, sliced olives, and hard-boiled egg garnish. A no-cook Tex-Mex-style crab salad served in avocado halves that comes together in 20 minutes.

Ethiopian red lentil stew (Kae Misr Wot) simmered with tomato paste and chow spice blend. A vegan, protein-rich puree traditionally served with injera bread.

Tom yum goong, the Thai hot and sour shrimp soup: a fragrant broth of kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass and galangal, made fiery with chili and sour with lime. Light, aromatic and ready fast.

Peanut chicken curry simmered in coconut milk with red curry paste, ground roasted peanuts, spinach, and fish sauce. A Thai-inspired one-pot dish ready in 25 minutes.

Classic Chinese stir-fry of crunchy soybean sprouts with marinated pork and shrimp paste. Fast wok cooking keeps sprouts crisp-tender.

Moong dal pounded into a paste with red curry and kaffir lime, shaped into walnut-sized balls and fried golden. Served with a sweet rice vinegar dipping sauce. A traditional Thai snack.

Provençal anchovy paste pounded with garlic and olive oil, spread thick on bread, then baked until golden for rustic French toast that's salty, garlicky, and completely addictive.

Tofu Caesar salad dressing made creamy with silken tofu instead of egg yolk and oil. Anchovy, garlic, lemon, and parmesan keep the classic Caesar punch with a fraction of the fat.

Cheddar walnut dip blended with yogurt, tomato paste, garlic, and a kick of cayenne. A tangy, nutty cheese dip ready in 10 minutes. Great with breadsticks or raw vegetables.

Smoky chipotle salsa blended from canned chipotles in adobo, tomato paste, brown sugar, and red wine vinegar. Sweet, fiery, and ready in 10 minutes. Makes 2 cups.

Eggplant miso soup with tofu, carrots, and scallions. A simple Japanese-style soup ready in 20 minutes with just six ingredients. Vegan and low-fat.

Senator Barry Goldwater's no-frills chili recipe with ground beef, dried pinto beans, tomato paste, chili powder, and cumin. Five hours of low, slow simmering for deep, honest flavor.

Beef Panang is a quick Thai curry with beef simmered in creamy coconut milk, red curry paste, and fish sauce, ready in 25 minutes. A weeknight curry with bold heat and sweet balance.

This is a dish that was a favorite at our local Chineses eatery. I used to make it with ground turkey (before I saw the light) and have found that TVP works just as well. It's hot and spicy.delicious and just a little different.

Classic hummus made the simple Levantine way: chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, and garlic blended smooth, finished with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprig of parsley.