Fry

A lime and soy dipping sauce accompanies this appetizer from A Pacific Cafe in Kapaa, on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai.

Even though they are most often associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, potato pancakes have a year-round appeal. Here they are given a Middle Eastern twist with the addition of flour made from chick-peas - the dominant flavor in falafel - as well as chilis, herbs and spices. Pour a dry white wine. For dessert, present fruit and some halvah. Chick-pea flour is available at Middle Eastern and Indian markets.

Taiglach (little pieces of fried dough dredged in honey) are eaten for celebratory occasions like Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Simchat Torah, Chanukah, Purim, weddings, and births. Ceciarchiata means "chickpeas" or "little bits" in Italian. This festive taiglach is similar in nature to the French croquembouche, though it's a crown, not a mountain. It is a spectacular centerpiece with its clusters of dough and nuts, and is totally addictive.

The slightly sweet sauce is a nice complement to the delicate fish. Serve it with stir-fried green beans and steamed rice.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"Pané" comes from the French verb "paner," meaning to coat with bread crumbs.

(Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Shrimp) Paad Thai, with its signature fettuccine-width rice noodles, is available in myriad variations throughout Thailand. In its country of origin the dish is often made with dried shrimp; for a milder flavor fresh shrimp is specified here.

Zeppole di San Guiseppe The bignè form of these donuts or crullers was invented for the St. Joseph’s Day (March 19), 1840, by Don Pasquale Pintauro, who was given a noble title by King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies for his creation. The Pintauro pasticceria still stands at Via Roma, 275, and it is still among the most highly regarded in the city, although some Neapolitans are fond of saying, "It isn't what it used to be." Until Pintauro adopted the French cream puff pastry — pâte à choux, in French—for his bakery's zeppole, only the much cruder kind of zeppole di Natale, or, in dialect, scauratielli. They are made from a dough of only flour and water or flour and milk, with no leavening, not even an egg. After the Christmas zeppole are formed into rings, actually more the shape of an AIDS ribbon, and fried, they are dipped in hot honey. As you might imagine, they are considerably heavier than the bignè form of zeppole, an because they become even weightier and rather indigestible as they stand, they have to be eaten almost as soon as they emerge from their honey bath. These light, eggy bignè, on the other hand, although they are best when just cooled, can be made hours ahead and re-crisped in a 350-degree oven for a few minutes. The dough can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated.

A delicious dessert version of a favorite New Orleans breakfast dish. Pain perdu translates as "lost bread," but you'll find that this is simply a type of French toast.

This recipe originally accompanied Roast Pork with Port Jus and Chipotle-Glazed Apples .

I am particularly fond of this stir-fry because of the hot, peppery taste and penetrating aroma that comes from using so much ginger, and I find that people who have never had it before fall in love with it for the same reason. Of course, if you like a milder flavor, feel free to use less ginger; just be careful not to make it too mild, or the dish will be bland. In Cambodia, we believe that ginger has medicinal qualities and that it heats up the head and the whole system to make you feel better. With this in mind, you might want to try Ginger Catfish the next time you have a cold.

Homemade taro root cake is unsurpassed if the home cook doesn't skimp on the ingredients. Thick slices of taro cake, richly flavored with scallops, mushrooms, shrimp, Chinese bacon, and creamy taro are pan-fried until golden brown and fragrant. My Auntie Ivy's mother, Che Chung Ng, makes such a recipe and is famous in the family for both her Turnip Cake and Taro Root Cake. Every New Year, she cooks several cakes and gives them away as gifts to close family members. Nothing is measured exactly, and it is impressive to see her produce cake after cake, especially because she is over eighty years old. Spry and agile, she cooks with full energy and total intuition, never missing a beat. She kindly taught me this recipe and the one for Turnip Cake. Wear rubber gloves when handling taro, as some people can have an allergic reaction to touching it. Also use rice flour, not glutinous flour! See the introduction to Turnip Cake for how to serve and store this New Year's cake.

Khoresht Gheimeh This Persian stew recipe is adapted from the one that chef Homa Khakpour serves at Shiraz Kabab Cafe and Food Market. It's a terrific main course, which she pairs with chelo (steamed rice with melted butter). Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

"Last summer my husband and I took a day trip to the coast of New Hampshire," writes Perrin Enriquez of Cambridge, Massachusetts. "We found a fabulous place in Portsmouth called Lindbergh's Crossing, in a rustic building on the water. I'd love to get the recipes for the amazing fried rabbit and garlic mashed potatoes we had in the upstairs wine bar." For convenience, we substituted chicken for the rabbit used at the restaurant. The gravy can be made ahead of time, but the chicken should be fried just before serving.

This recipe incorporates two popular foods from the Toi San region of southern China: One is the Chinese boneless barbecued pork strips known as cha siu, and the other is fresh rice noodles. The latter are sold in 1-pound packages, either as rumpled sheets that must be cut into strips or as precut 1/2-inch-wide strips.