Ginger

This mix of jicama, cucumber, bell pepper, and carrot would also make a good side dish for scallops or shrimp. To keep the slaw crispy, add the dressing just before serving.

Garnish with orange slices, if desired.

Tandoori Murghi Of all the food cooked in a _tandoor,_the most popular and the best-tasting is chicken. The distinctive flavor, texture, and color of this dish are achieved by a particular yogurt marinade, by the use of tenderizers, a special tandoori coloring, and finally, by being cooked in the Indian clay oven. The recipe given here is designed for the conventional oven and charcoal grill. (Household-model tandoors are not yet commercially available in the United States.) The results are very much to my satisfaction.

To make these slow-cooked ribs, the barbecue is used as a smoker. The instructions given here are for a standard 22 1/2-inch Weber kettle barbecue. Grilling times and vent adjustments will vary with different brands. The only special equipment needed is a charcoal chimney, which is available at most hardware or home-and-garden stores. Marinate the ribs a day ahead.

You'll need six baby loaf pans for this recipe. Look for disposable ones at the market.

Bean thread noodles (also known as cellophane noodles) come in varying widths. For this recipe we like the wider (1/4-inch) noodles.

Chinese cooks call food braised in soy sauce and sugar "red-cooked" for the reddish-brown tint that can result. While the chicken is braising, steam some rice and broccoli rabe as accompaniments.

This may not sound like traditional teriyaki, but we love the combination of coriander and cilantro with the soy marinade. Serve the steak with hot-and-sour cabbage salad .

This tangy, spicy chutney is a twist on southern pickled watermelon rind. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 25 1/2 hr (includes chilling)

A buttermilk layer cake is filled with ginger-scented lime curd, then finished with a sweet and fluffy frosting. Make the lime curd one to two days before assembling the cake.

Start marinating the fish at least four hours ahead so that the spice flavor comes through.

Marinating the lamb for one day in a thick mixture of yogurt, lime juice, and spices intensifies the Indian tastes.

Scots often serve butter and orange marmalade with gingerbread — this recipe goes a step further by incorporating marmalade into the batter.

Serve with: Jasmine rice and a cucumber, red bell pepper, and sweet onion salad with rice wine dressing.

Mung bean sprouts, commonly known simply as bean sprouts, are available in the produce section of most supermarkets.

Juli Tsuchiya-Waldron of Tokyo, Japan, writes: "I was born in California but moved to Tokyo with my family when I was 6 years old. Now I'm 19, and have started a small craft shop where I sell my handmade place mats and coasters. Cooking is my other creative outlet. When my mother is too busy to cook for the family, I enjoy coming up with dishes that are interesting and nutritious but still quick." To turn this salad into a main course, add cooked shrimp and more vegetables, such as slivered carrots and red cabbage.

Nancy Scott of Cranston, Rhode Island, writes: "I attended a wine tasting festival in Newport a while ago and enjoyed a shrimp ceviche prepared by Andrew Dicataldo, the executive chef of Patria, in New York City. Can you get the recipe?" In this recipe, the shrimp are cooked by quickly boiling them, whereas in a traditional ceviche the seafood, marinated in a spicy mixture of lemon or lemon-lime juice, appears cooked but isn't. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 2 hr