Thai

This chicken soup is made with chicken legs and a flavorful broth.

All Thai curries start with a handful of aromatic ingredients (chiles, galangal, lemongrass, turmeric, etc.) pounded into a paste with a granite mortar and pestle. The paste is then stirred into soups or stews (often with coconut milk), or used as the basis of sautéed dishes. Use a mini-processor to make the curry paste if you'd like, although this incendiary stew will take on a deeper flavor if you can use a granite mortar and pestle.

This pad Thai recipe is not the dish from the neighborhood take-out joint. "It ain't made with chicken," says Ricker, whose traditional take—pleasantly funky with fish sauce and preserved radish and a touch sour from tamarind—is meant to be eaten in the evening as a stand-alone dish.

The fresh herbs in this dish— part of the gluten-free menu at Boston’s Myers + chang—add lots of flavor, so don’t even think about skimping!

This grilled mahi-mahi recipe is spicy and sweet, thanks to chiles, ginger, and creamy coconut milk.

Expedite the cooking process by using red curry paste and store-bought peanut butter.

Unlike most braises, these ribs aren't browned before they're simmered. The long, slow simmer tenderizes the meat, and the ribs get their brown, shiny exterior from a soy and brown sugar marinade. 

Instead of ordering Thai takeout, whip up this easy classic, which takes some short cuts (hello, curry paste) to get great flavor with less knife work. Serve with steamed jasmine rice and a cucumber and snow pea salad.