Asian

I should address the awkward truth that I don’t use butter here but cream instead. You could, if you’re a stickler for tradition (and not a heretic like me), add a big slab of butter to the finished curry.

Among the top tier of sauces is Indonesian satay sauce, because it is the embodiment of joy and life. In fact, this sauce is also trustworthy and highly respectful of whatever it comes into contact with—perhaps it is, in fact, the perfect friend?

Oyster mushrooms are a strong all-rounder in the kitchen, seeming to straddle both plant and meat worlds in what they look and taste like when cooked. Here they’re coated in a marinade my mother used to use when cooking Chinese food at home—honey, soy, garlic and ginger—and roasted until golden, crisp, and juicy.

The pan-fried tofu is crispy yet pillowy, served with a punchy dressing that is made with the same bold flavors as mapo seasoning.

Reliable cabbage is cooked in the punchy sauce and then combined with store-bought baked tofu and roasted cashews for a salad that can also be eaten with rice.

Cilantro and a handful of basic spices brings vibrant green color and rich flavor to broiled chicken thighs. Served with rice or naan, this is a weeknight win.

Slowly caramelized sugar, sweet lychees, warming spices, and fiery ginger create the perfect base for tofu to simmer in.

Get to know the rice flour behind chewy butter mochi, crunchy mochiko chicken, and more.

Tingly, salty, and irresistibly crunchy, this salt-and-pepper shrimp with cubes of crispy polenta (yes, from those tubes!) is a weeknight MVP.

Cool off with this easy zaru soba recipe: a Japanese dish of chewy buckwheat noodles served with chilled mentsuyu dipping sauce, daikon, nori, and scallions.

This deeply flavored broth comes together in no time thanks to toasted spices, browned onions, ginger, beef bones—and pressure, of course.

This saucy noodle recipe gets its crunch from fiery, garlicky toasted cashews.

Juicy ground chicken and charred cabbage are the stars of this family-friendly meal.

Braise tender pork belly in soy and vinegar, then grill with shishito peppers and toss with ginger and a tangy dressing for bold, savory Filipino dinakdakan.

The first thing you should make with sweet summer corn.

This fast stir-fry dish pairs minced pork and fragrant basil with hot Thai chiles and a crispy fried egg.

This classic Japanese comfort food is a combination of chicken and egg (oyako means “parent and child”) simmered in sweet-savory broth and served over rice.

Gochujang creates a sauce that delivers the perfect balance of spice, tang, and sweetness.

A festive eggplant dish great for gatherings.

This simple dish of beans simmered in a spicy sauce is found in every corner food stall in Peshawar, Pakistan.

These cookies are gently sweetened and perfect with a cup of tea.

Gochujang pork steaks, bulgogi short ribs, and all the banchan to go with them.

Perfectly cooked eggs dive into a creamy, spiced, tomato-tinged sauce.

The simplest flatbread you can make.