Thai Peanut, Grapefruit and Chicken Salad

Rotisserie chicken is the ultimate weeknight cheat. It shreds beautifully into this salad and soaks up the nutty citrus dressing. 

Shrimp Sinigang

This soup is soured with tamarind, the pulp of long pods that grow on huge tropical tamarind trees. You can buy tamarind concentrate in jars, or tamarind pulp packed in chunks, in the Asian or Latin American section of large grocery stores, or in Filipino, Chinese or Indian shops. If using tamarind pulp, to make the equivalent of 1 tbsp (15 mL) tamarind concentrate, mix 2 tbsp (25 mL) seedless pulp or 3 tbsp (45 mL) seed-in pulp with 1/4 cup (50 mL) boiling water and strain, discarding solids. You can also use lime juice to sour the soup if tamarind is unavailable. The degree of tartness in Filipino sinigang broths varies quite a bit according to taste; feel free to add a bit more tamarind or lime juice if you wish.

Turkey Dumplings with Bean Sprout Salad

Homemade Kimchi

A traditional fermented Korean side dish, kimchi is a sweet and spicy combination of sliced cabbage, other vegetables and seasonings. About a day after jarring the kimchi, you will begin to see bubbles in the liquid; this is a sign that the fermentation process is working.

Spicy Asian Crab Noodle Salad

Eastern Canada is one of the main sources of sustainable snow crab in North America, with the bulk of the snow crab being harvested from the frigid waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. These crustaceans are often sold precooked and frozen in clusters of legs and arms. To thaw the clusters in a flash, place them under running cold water for about 10 minutes.

Red Curry Pork Tenderloin and Squash

Homemade red curry paste strikes a nice balance between sweet, salty and spicy, and brings out the best in the squash and the pork. Serve with Coconut Ginger Rice for an elegant meal.

Crusted Sablefish and Chips

By Eva Fong, Burnaby, B.C.
Cook of the Year 2009 Winner, Fish & Seafood category & Grand-Prize winner

The inspiration for this dish comes from Eva's husband, who loves fish and seafood. Before the couple had children, Saturdays were known as Seafood Sat­urday in the Fong house. The Asian spin on this dish displays the diversity we have in Canada: fish and cucumbers from British Columbia, sweet potatoes from Ontario. Eva serves this dish with Sweet Potato Fries.

Spicy Catfish Fillets in Banana Leaves

Grilling fish in banana leaves keeps in all the juices and adds a distinctive smoky taste, complemented here with an aromatic spice paste. Banana leaves are sold frozen at most Southeast Asian and Latin American grocery stores. Heating the leaves before wrapping makes them stronger and more flexible. You also can wrap the fish in foil, but it will not have a smoky flavour.

Filipino Chicken Soup (Tinola)

Tinola, a favourite on Filipino dinner tables, is made in many variations. The most traditional vegetables used in this soup are green (unripe) papaya or chayote squash, but other green squashes and melons are used, too. Zucchini makes a fine substitute; just make sure to take out the seeds and soft core. The soup is traditionally finished with herbal leaves, such as those of the native malunggay tree, or with chili leaves, the small tender leaves of hot pepper plants, which are tasty but not hot; watercress lends a similar flavour. Use a free-range chicken; if you buy the poultry at an Asian market, you get the head and feet, too, which add lots of extra flavour to the broth.

Crab Spring Rolls

Fresh spring rolls filled with noodles, crab, vegetables and tons of herbs served with a sweet-and-sour sauce is a great communal recipe — everyone can take turns wrapping a couple. This type of roll, originally a Vietnamese specialty, is so popular that it has become ubiquitous in Thai restaurants.