Peanut

Crunchy peanuts team up with peanut butter and caramel in this decadent candy bar-like sweet.

Green papaya salad in all its regional variations - often flavored with pork, beef, or shrimp (as below)-is hugely popular throughout Southeast Asia. The dish is made from unripe Southeast Asian papayas, which have firm white flesh and white seeds. The current popularity of Vietnamese and Thai food in the United States has increased these papayas' availability, although it is still generally limited to Asian markets. Such papayas can grow to the size of cantaloupes or larger and range in shape from oval to round. Look for rock-hard dark green fruit without a trace of pink or yellow blush. If you don't see any, ask (some shopkeepers do not display them). Those who can't find the right kind of papaya might skip the salad or substitute seedless (European) cucumbers despite the repetition with the main course. Those who can find Southeast Asian green papayas will be treated to a salad that our food editors found irresistible.

During World War II, chocolate was too valuable to be used for baking. As a result, brownies, which had been a favorite since around the turn of the century, were made less often. With the return to prosperity in the 1950s, this much-loved dessert came back into vogue--and became more popular than ever. Our rich and dense brownies are studded with peanuts and chocolate chips, and are partnered with a rich milk chocolate and peanut butter sauce. They're terrific served with vanilla ice cream, peanut butter-vanilla swirl or peanut butter ice cream. Serve the brownies slightly warm or at room temperature.

Freezing the steak for about 30 minutes makes it much easier to slice; using a grill pan is the simplest way to cook the slices.

Serve the curry with steamed white rice and Indian beer, and make a stop at an Indian restaurant to get some samosas — savory filled pastries — to pass as appetizers, and the flatbread called naan to sop up the curry sauce. For dessert, how about assorted teas and a carrot cake?

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

It's believed that this stew — called mafé or maafe — originated among the Bambara people of Mali. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 2 1/4 hr

Pae Thee Thoke Chinese long beans, also known as yard-long beans, really are long — about 18 inches.

Jason Gareffa of Los Angeles, California, writes: "Pursuing a career in acting keeps me tremendously busy. Between my improv comedy classes, performances, auditions for film and television roles, and gigs as a DJ for weddings, I don't have a lot of extra time on my hands. But good food is important to me, especially since I need a lot of energy to stay on the go. So over the years, I've started experimenting in the kitchen. Now the other members of my improv group even like to come to my 'wrap parties' to taste my creations." Serve basmati rice (or regular white rice) on the side to complement the Indian flavors.

Rita Martucci of Wilmington, Delaware, writes: "Can you please get the recipe for the Saigon beef served at Zinc in New Haven, Connecticut?" Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr

Pluots are a great stand-in for true plums in this recipe.

When fresh wide rice noodles are stir-fried, they are called fun. Fresh rice noodles have to be pulled apart and fluffed before cooking.

Inspired by Vietnamese cuisine, this combination is also satisfying on its own as a meatless lunch.

These cookies travel well and sustain travelers well, too.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.