Southeast Asian

Kao Kua Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 25 min

Serve this Thai-style dressing over chilled pasta or mixed raw vegetables.

Sweet, salty, and spicy, nuoc cham is the indispensable sauce of Vietnam's cuisine. It's a favorite dipping sauce for spring rolls and for fresh rice-paper rolls such as these.

The cilantro lime topping in this recipe is a Southeast Asian variation on the classic Italian gremolata, which is made with parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 20 min

The following recipe is our version of gai yang, the grilled or roasted marinated chicken for which there are many variations in Thailand. Although gai yang is traditionally served with only a sweet chili garlic sauce for dipping, we were so taken with the complex flavor of the marinade that we decided to make extra and turn it into a second dipping sauce. Both sauces offered here are simple and delicious, but the Cornish hens can easily stand on their own.

Using shrimp instead of chicken in this recipe makes for an equally delicious soup.

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.

(Charred Chili Salsa) In Thailand, vegetables are grilled in a grilling rack over an open flame. The method for charring described in this salsa recipe uses a dry-frying technique; you can, of course, char the vegetables over a grill instead. This northern Thai salsa is quite hot: The main ingredient is traditionally num, a long, medium-hot, pale yellow chili very similar to the banana chilies available in North American. If you want a milder taste, substitute Hungarian wax chilies for some or all of the banana chilies called for in the recipe. Remember that this sauce is meant to accompany sticky rice, not to be eaten on its own, so its flavors are punchy, with a distinct smokiness. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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

Yam Jin Gai Mom's chicken noodle is great, but this soup is all about heat and bold flavor. Thais typically incorporate soup into a menu rather than making it a separate course. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 5 1/2 hr (includes making stock)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Editors note: This recipe was written in 1991, before Southeast Asian ingredients were widely available. For a more authentic take on the dish, substitute rice noodles for the capellini or thin spaghetti. (To cook: Soak the rice noodles in a large bowl of cold water for 15 minutes, then drain the noodles, and boil in salted water until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water, and drain again.) You can also replace the dried hot red pepper flakes with an equal amount of sambal oelek, and use 1 1/2 tablespoons (or more to taste) fish sauce in place of the soy sauce and anchovy paste. Also: Feel free to use flank or skirt steak in place of the shell steak, adjusting the cooking time as necessary.

Most Southeast Asian soups, salads, or fried rice dishes call for a sprinkling of Crisp-Fried Onions. To make them at home, I suggest you use Asian red onions or shallots. They become crisp more quickly than ordinary onions and do not need to be floured before frying. If you do not want to make your own, you can buy them at Asian supermarkets.

Braise tender pork belly in soy and vinegar, then grill with shishito peppers and toss with ginger and a tangy dressing for bold, savory Filipino dinakdakan.

This fast stir-fry dish pairs minced pork and fragrant basil with hot Thai chiles and a crispy fried egg.

This riff on the Laotian classic comes together in 20 minutes.

Packed with shrimp, bean sprouts, and tofu puffs, this Malaysian-style laksa noodle soup is the revivifying post-holiday balm you’ll crave.

With custardy tofu, a fragrant scallion sauce, and smoky bonito flakes, this restaurant-quality dish is an impressive appetizer or main for dinner at home.

Deeply savory with a slight sweetness from coconut water, this dish of seared salmon fillets in caramel sauce is weeknight-fancy cooking at its best.

Soft scrambled eggs are taken up a notch with brown butter, scallions, and crispy shallots. Serve with toast or rice for a quick meal ideal any time of day.