Thai

The seafood is cooked in lime juice and fish sauce, making this oil-free salad perfect for a low-fat lunch.

Chef-owner Neath Pal is known for his fusion of French-Asian and New England cooking. So serve this dish with slender noodles tossed in a purchased peanut sauce. Finish with coconut ice cream.

Although several varieties of basil are used in Southeast Asia, the most common-called rau que in Vietnam and bai gaprow in Thailand-is generally referred to as Thai basil in Asian markets on this side of the Pacific. The leaves are slightly darker and narrower than the more familiar Italian basil and have purple stems and flowers. Rau que has a distinctively pungent anise flavor, but Italian basil is a perfectly acceptable substitute.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Sharpen your cutting and chopping skills and see how to prepare salmon like a pro with our technique videos.

In Thailand, mangoes often appear on the table for dessert — served both on their own and incorporated into a sweetened sticky rice. If you can't get your hands on really good mangoes, you'll find that canned mango purée delivers the best flavor for this ice cream. However, many canned brands taste like peaches, so we recommend Ratna brand, which uses Alphonso mangoes, an Indian cultivar renowned for its bright orange flesh and very intense flavor. Ka-Me brand is a runner-up — the recipe will work fine, but the color and flavor will not be as intense. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 17 3/4 hr (includes chilling and freezing)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

At Aruns in Chicago, owner and chef Arun Sampanthavivat has come up with this fresh take on a traditional Thai recipe.

(Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Shrimp) Paad Thai, with its signature fettuccine-width rice noodles, is available in myriad variations throughout Thailand. In its country of origin the dish is often made with dried shrimp; for a milder flavor fresh shrimp is specified here.

Bangkok-style noodles with shrimp, chicken and Thai chilies from Arun's in Chicago.

(Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce)<P> This sauce is also delicious with grilled pork or lamb.<P> This recipe was created to accompany <epi:recipeLink ="14426">Thai Grilled Chicken</epi:recipeLink>.<P> Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The sweet potato and coconut milk balance the spiciness of this dish. Serve it over white rice, and dinner is ready.

Fermented soybean paste-called miso-is the key ingredient here.

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.

Yam Taeng Kwa Dried shrimp are an acquired taste; they have a very strong fish flavor. But this salad is wonderfully refreshing even without the shrimp. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Thai cooking frequently makes use of the roots of cilantro; their flavor is more pronounced than that of the leaves.

Gaeng Pah Muu Most curries from southern Thailand use coconut milk. This one, from the mountainous north, doesn't, because the climate is too temperate for coconut palms to survive. Don't be intimidated by the start-to-finish time; the curry paste and chicken stock can be made days ahead. Once you have those components at hand, the recipe only takes about 1 hour to put together. If you prefer your food less spicy, use the smaller amounts of curry paste and vegetable oil. Active time: 3 1/4 hr Start to finish: 7 1/4 hr (includes making curry paste and stock)

Thai cooking frequently makes use of cilantro roots; their flavor is more pronounced than that of the leaves.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.