Wok

Although lamb is not commonly found in Chinese dishes, Hong Kong restaurants reach out to explore every nuance of Asian cuisine. Lamb is popular with the nomads of Mongolia and Manchuria; they would most likely cook the meat in a firepot. Here it's used in a more delicate stir-fry.

This popular menu classic is even better when made at home. Variation: For a vegetarian entrée, use one 12-ounce package of firm or extra-firm tofu in place of the beef. Cut the tofu into 3/4-inch cubes and marinate as if using beef. Pork or chicken would also work for this recipe.

I devised this dish for a benefit party to aid my husband's chamber music group, Clarion Concerts. It was the middle of August, in the heart of the corn season. Keeping up the tradition of Indian migrants the world over, I find myself adapting Indian spices and techniques to the best of American ingredients.

When fresh wide rice noodles are stir-fried, they are called fun. Fresh rice noodles have to be pulled apart and fluffed before cooking.

Ginger and crushed red pepper help round out the Thai theme of this quick dish.

This variation on the Chinese classic incorporates jícama, which retains the crisp texture of water chestnuts even when cooked.

Chinese chestnuts are quite common in the cuisine of northern China; they also appear in the food of Shanghai. These sweet meats, which are smaller than their European cousins, are used in many braised dishes and casseroles. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Turmeric add color and chilies add heat to this superb side dish. Mound it in the middle of the Vegetable Stir-fry.

Chinese long beans cut into smaller lengths also work well in this recipe.

Ever wonder how soybeans turn into smooth, creamy tofu? First, the beans are pressed to extract soy milk, which is then curdled. The curds are drained, pressed, and cut into blocks of tofu.

Pad Pak Khana This vegetable is more about leaves and stalks than its namesake cousin. It also has a sweeter flavor and juicier stems. All those green buds eventually blossom into white flowers, so when you're at the market, be sure to look for those with only a few open flowers — and the thinner the stalk, the better. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

The provenance of this southern dish is shared by the Hakka and the Cantonese. The historic popularity of salt-baked chicken over the years led to various foods being called "salt-baked" even though they were not. The process of water-blanching, coating, and oil-blanching approximates baking to the Hakka taste. To the Cantonese the dish is simply jiu yim, or "pepper salt" to demote its primary flavors.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.