East Asian

In Japan, dengaku refers to food that's been miso-glazed and grilled. This Kyoto-style dish was developed by chef Abe Hiroki at EN Japanese Brasserie in Manhattan. Of course Hiroki makes his own tofu, but we used storebought tofu with great results.

A Japanese-style noodle soup that's full of healthful things: mushrooms, yams, carrots—and even salty, savory, vitamin-and mineral-rich seaweed. For details on the ingredients used in this dish, see "Ingredient Tips" at the end of the recipe.

If you are looking for something a little different to accompany a stir-fry, try panfried Chinese noodles as crisp vehicles for umami-loaded Asian sauces.

This preparation results in ribs that are dark, glossy, and so tender that just a tug of the teeth will pull the meat off the bone.

The small, round, mild white turnips known colloquially as Japanese turnips are at their most delicious when simply cooked with their greens. A last-minute swirl in miso butter (which is fantastic on pretty much any vegetable) gives them an almost meaty underpinning.

Singapore-style noodles are a favorite in Chinese-American restaurants and are traditionally made using leftover Cantonese roast pork. The dish is lightly seasoned with Indian curry powder, giving the thin rice noodles a beautiful yellow hue. The curry flavor explains the dish's name: Singapore cooking exhibits a significant Indian influence. Stir-fried with small shrimp and peas, this colorful dish can be made ahead of time and very successfully reheated. Cantonese roast pork can be found in Chinese markets. You'll recognize the long and thick reddish-golden meat strips hanging in the window to entice passersby.

This cold sesame noodle dish is one of the most popular dishes in Chinese restaurants. My family recipe is simple, made with readily available ingredients. It's a great blank canvas for adding all sorts of leftover proteins. I have made the dish with shredded roast chicken and duck, as well as sliced pork and beef. Sesame paste, often referred to as tahini, can be found in health food stores or the international foods aisle of your supermarket. If you can't find it, try unsalted 100 percent pure peanut or almond butter, which will give you different, but equally tasty, results.

Feel free to use leftover rice from last night's takeout. The secret to good fried rice is starting with cold cooked grains.

Haemul pa jeon—savory pancakes that are crispy outside and soft and tender inside—are a popular side dish. They're best served warm, then dipped in a sauce of soy, lemon, and sesame.

Korean chefs work with an array of distinct greens for fresh salads, including common red leaf lettuce, but also wild sesame leaves, young radish leaves, garlic chives, and chrysanthemums.

It's hard to overstate the importance of kimchi, which is typically a spicy dish of fermented firm leafy cabbage and other vegetables. This mild version omits chilies. Begin making it at least three days ahead.

A sweet-and-salty miso glaze turns tofu into little bites of comfort food, traditionally served on skewers.

Japchae is traditionally made for parties or celebrations, but I like to make it for a light lunch or part of a big dinner. Dried sweet potato noodles can be found in most Asian supermarkets. They are incredibly chewy but healthy and delicious. This recipe works as a side dish (banchan) or can even be served as an appetizer or light snack.

Although this is a chilled beverage, it is traditionally enjoyed in the winter. The "fire" of the cinnamon and ginger is supposed to warm you up, while the coolness of the beverage balances the heat. Not being much of a traditionalist, I like to make it during the summer and keep pitchers of it available as an alternative to iced tea.

Dashi is a traditional Asian stock. The recipe is simple—the only ingredients are dried kelp (seaweed) and flakes of dried bonito, a type of fish. However, both ingredients are packed with flavor, creating a rich, aromatic broth.

Juicy tomatoes mingle with softly scrambled eggs in a saucy dish that's delicious over rice.

This stir-fry is staggeringly simple. A drizzle of sesame oil gives a nutty-toasty boost to thinly sliced bok choy and cabbage.

Editor's note:
The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Grace Young's book The Breath of a Wok. Young also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. A high-quality curry is key to this recipe's success. I prefer curry paste, which I think has greater depth of flavor than curry powder. Be sure to stir the coconut milk in the can; the cream always floats to the top.

Beef with broccoli, the popular Chinese restaurant dish, is even better with the addition of sweet yam.