Although it requires lots of ingredients, this soup — popular at Vietnamese restaurants — is worth the effort. Make the stock ahead so it takes only minutes to prepare for dinner.
Rotisserie chicken jump-starts this saucy noodle dish. Bruising the lemongrass and ginger releases their flavours without breaking them into pieces that are difficult to remove before serving.
The trick to making mouthwatering meats in minutes is a good marinade. Toss the pork in a fragrant lemongrass sauce in the morning and leave it to soak up the flavours—when you get home, simply throw the chops on the grill!
When choosing cucumbers, Korean cucumbers are ideal for their soft skin and crunch, but pickling cucumbers are a good substitute. This refreshing instant kimchi is wonderful with barbecued meats and a glass of beer.
Tropical Thai flavours give a new twist to wings. Be sure to use regular (not light) coconut milk in order for it to reduce properly. Garnish with lime wedges.
When setting the table for this popular, slightly spicy Thai salad, provide only a spoon and a fork. Thais believe that food should be so beautifully cut beforehand that a knife is not necessary. Serve for a light spring supper or tasty lunch.
Diningding (pronounced with short "i"s as in "thing") is an Ilocano specialty from northern Philippines, where vegetables and fish play the largest role in cuisine. Use this recipe as a guideline and vary the vegetables according to availability and freshness. In Canada, black cod (sablefish), salmon or halibut are especially good for diningding, but freshwater fish, such as pickerel or whitefish, also makes a tasty dish.
Sweet-and-sour Thai-inspired ingredients enhance the mild flavour of shrimp. These shrimp would also be great served on skewers as an appetizer during your next backyard party. Sprinkle chopped green onions over the rice as a garnish, if desired.
Air-chilled chicken has less moisture than chicken conventionally cooled in water during processing. Though more expensive by weight, air-chilled chicken shrinks less during cooking and has superior flavour and texture.
