Wok

Cook and refrigerate the rice ahead of time. This meal needs only a bottle of Chardonnay.

Serve with white rice to soak up the juices. A bottle of Gewürztraminer would pair nicely with the spiciness of the shrimp.

Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes Sichuan cooking is popular throughout China, and in recent years, adventurous Chinese restaurant diners have discovered how delicious it can be. This is one of the best known dishes from that area.

This very typical Lao dish may also be made with fish, pork, beef, or, in Southeast Asian tradition, water buffalo meat. While laap is often made with raw meat or fish, our chicken-based rendition is stir-fried, as it was when Lao cooks served it to us. A powder made from toasted glutinous rice subtly flavors the dish.

(Chicken Stir-Fry with Holy Basil) Two of the common types of basil used in Thailand are now available in North America. Bai horapha tastes like a good strong Italian sweet basil and can be found in Asian markets and some supermarkets, usually sold as Asian basil or Thai basil. The basil traditionally used in this recipes is bai gaprow, or holy basil which can be harder to find because of its shorter shelf life. Holy basil hasn't much taste when raw, but when cooked it becomes strong and distinctive. Asian basil makes a very good substitute, though it can't be cooked as long or it will lose flavor.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Master Stock Chicken .

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

"Wonderful!" was the comment scribbled in the margin of this recipe when my friend and colleague, Donna Adams, tested it. The dish improves if prepared ahead of time and reheated. The pork freezes very well, but the pineapple does not, so add the fruit just before serving. You must use fresh pineapple, as the acidity of the fresh fruit provides the balance needed in the sauce. Serve this dish with white rice.

Offer either brown or white rice and Asian beer, like Tsingtao. The chicken is especially tender because of the egg white and cornstarch coating.

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.

A complete vegetarian main course, with fresh herbs and Moroccan accents.

Serve steamed rice mixed with fresh cilantro alongside this spicy Chinese-inspired dish.