East Asian

Powdered green tea gives these tender cookies an elf-worthy hue that will stand out, with no icing or decorating needed.

Crunchy shrimp (thanks for the help, cornstarch!) gets its zesty, floral heat from Sichuan peppercorns. It's hard to believe that a main course this complex comes together so quickly. We eat these guys shells and all, but you can sub in peeled shrimp instead.

Steaming might seem a surprising way to start cooking a turkey, but the payoff is real: The extra step makes the bird extra-juicy, and cuts down on the overall cooking time.

These dumplings are delicious whether you put the classic pleats in them or not.

Miso and hot pepper paste are at the root of every ssam sauce, but no two household's are the same. Tweak it to your liking.

This lightly pickled mix of vegetables and seaweed is especially good with seafood.

These skewered meatballs are a quintessential Japanese bar food, a great drinking snack that can be turned into a larger meal with rice. Flavored with plenty of garlic and ginger and brushed with a sweet-and-savory soy glaze, these meatballs are a great defense of ground chicken, which can be bland if not seasoned well.

This fiery Korean stew is my weekend detox. It's spicy, clean, and capable of reversing any damage the previous night may have caused.

Koreans celebrate the first one hundred days of life, so for my son, Hudson's, hundredth-day party, we had a bash with lots of Korean food. The next day, with my taste buds toned and thinking of the great Korean tacos I've devoured at food trucks in Los Angeles, I created this version. The marinade for the steak is to die for. I guarantee you'll want to try it with Korean-style short ribs, pork tenderloin, and grilled chicken. A little planning and prep a day ahead is a great way to save time on hurried weeknights. This steak gets even better with an overnight marinade, so you could marinate it on Monday, and it's ready to grill on Tuesday night. If you're doing it all on the same night, use the marinating time to multitask—prep your vegetables and whip up the guacamole. You'll be surprised how quickly it comes together.

There's a dish in China called "Happy Family," which consists of various ingredients. Growing up, my mother's version of "Happy Family" was stir-fried colorful, seasonal fresh vegetables. She would encourage my brothers and me to eat more of it so we would be in harmony. Fresh vegetables are quickly stir-fried to retain their snap and color for a vibrant presentation. Any leftovers can be served with warm pasta.

The salmon absorbs more teriyaki flavor as it sits, making it even better (and breakfast that much quicker) if done in advance.

The salty-sweet-sour umeboshi complement the earthy notes in the beets.

Breakfast is just the beginning. Use this in stir-fries, to marinate tofu, or to glaze chicken as it roasts.