Gourmet

Enid P. Saldana of San Juan, Puerto Rico, writes: "I would love to get the recipe for the lychee Martini they serve at Kittichai, in New York City." This summer, enjoy a vodka Martini with a real twist — lychee. The exotic sweetness of the fruit brightens the citrus flavors in this truly refreshing drink.

Grilling a whole chicken cuts down on prep time and makes for a dramatic presentation. A purée made from fresh herbs, garlic, and chile spread under the skin of the bird keeps the meat moist.

If you like curries, you'll love this recipe. The sauce is rich with coconut flavor and redolent with spice. Don't be alarmed by the number of red chiles — these are mild.

This fennel-and-scallion-enriched version of tyropita (Greek cheese pie) uses feta and cottage cheese to create a filling that's mildly tangy yet mellow.

Cardamom-scented whipped cream tops a light, crisp meringue in this pretty paean to the season's fresh berries.

The sweet and tangy apricot sauce that anchors this dessert is a nod to the spoon sweets — fruit preserves that are eaten from small spoons — traditionally served in Greece to arriving guests.

This cut of meat yields a juicy roast with no fuss. And the spicy parsley sauce is tasty enough to keep some on hand for chicken, fish, or pasta.

Cumin and time over the coals give these hearty thick-cut pork chops deep flavor. A spicy-sweet tropical salsa made with fresh pineapple balances the dish.

The great thing about the marinade in this recipe is that the thick yogurt helps it stick to the chicken perfectly, so you get its full flavor in the final dish. Regular basting with ghee produces a tender, melt-in-your-mouth result.

One of Morocco's major grains, barley brings a malt-like flavor to this surprisingly light bread. Nigella seeds add a pleasant crunch and just the faintest hint of onion. To order the barley flour and nigella seeds, visit kalustyans.com.

Western stocks are loaded with aromatics and many Asian stocks include ginger. This simple stock has a pure chicken flavor.

This is the national condiment of both Argentina and Uruguay, and there are hundreds of versions. The sauce is also great with vegetables, especially grilled or fried tomatoes.

Often called a boniato, a batata is what most of the world knows as a sweet potato. White-fleshed and drier than typical orange, moist-fleshed varieties, the tuber has a delicate, slightly sweet flavor reminiscent of chestnuts. We like to serve them with a flavorful compound butter.

Po Ho Thng Although this fragrant soup, reminiscent of Chinese egg drop, is meant to be sipped throughout the meal (its clean flavor cools the palate between dishes), we'd make it even if we weren't preparing the rest of this menu. It's incredibly easy (the stock can be made ahead) and requires only a few ingredients.

Grilling sweetbreads gives them a crispy crust that contrasts beautifully with their creamy, tender interior. In Argentina, sweetbreads are usually grilled whole, but we find people are less intimidated by them when they're prepared this way — separated into pieces. As with all offal, be sure the sweetbreads are very fresh.

Kerabu Bok Kwa This fresh, zesty salad cuts through the richness of the heavier main courses. Sambal belacan is a classic Nonya dressing. We've reduced the amount from what would traditionally be used because belacan (shrimp paste) can be rather strong for those who aren't used to it. The paste has a salty fish taste and pungent smell (the odor dissipates once it's added to the dish), but it lends a dimension of flavor very characteristic of Nonya cuisine — were you to eliminate it, you wouldn't really be eating Nonya food. For a more authentic version, use 2 tablespoons belacan and 4 tablespoons lime juice.

Kangkong Masak Lemak This dish is all about the greens; water spinach has a delightfully light and crunchy texture, unlike regular spinach, which tends to be stringy. A bit of coconut milk lends body and richness.

Enlivened with Southeast Asian flavors, this quick, versatile side dish complements nearly any kind of meal. We've cooked the snap peas until crisp-tender here, but if you'd prefer them to have a meaty quality, cook them a minute longer.