Fry

She filched one anyway, and ate it on her way out. It was stuffed with chopped nuts and fruit and cheese, the crust flaky and still warm from the oven. Eating Ser Amory's tart made Arya feel daring. Barefoot surefoot lightfoot, she sang under her breath. I am the ghost in Harrenhal. —A Clash of Kings

This dish conveys the grandeur of formal Chinese dinners, but there's nothing intimidating about its preparation. The balance of flavors is sublime, and the presentation is striking — ruffled Napa cabbage is arranged around large pork meatballs to create the appearance of the lionlike Tibetan dog.

Sometimes all it takes are three ingredients to kick off a party.

This coconut curry adds a tangy note to a South Indian menu. This recipe is part of our menu for Sadhya, a South Indian feast.

Korean pickled cabbage, a.k.a. kimchi, provides the spice in these savory fritters, while soaked raw mung beans hold the flourless pancakes together. They're great with or without the dipping sauce and pickled pears.

In North India these legume wafers are called papad and are dry-roasted over a flame, but in the South they are deep-fried until they form lots of air bubbles and become light and puffy. They are sold in many flavors, but plain is preferred in Kerala. Pappadams are always part of a Sadhya: You crush one up and mix it together with rice, dhal, and ghee. The pappadam helps to bind all the ingredients together so you can form balls when eating with your hand. Store-bought wafers are used almost exclusively by Indian cooks because the traditional recipes are labor-intensive and require days of drying in the hot sun. This recipe is part of our menu for Sadhya, a South Indian feast.

I grew up on green beans thoren, and while I'll never tire of its crunchy deliciousness, I think adding corn makes it even better. And even though people don't often associate stir-fries with Indian cooking, this dish is a favorite in Kerala. It's a combination of diced vegetables and coconut, but the key is moistening the coconut so it can soak up the ground spices first. This recipe is part of our menu for Sadhya, a South Indian feast.

Jim Lahey keeps these moist by adding grated boiled potato.

Little fried balls of Gorgonzola turn a boring green salad into a mouthful of joy. For convenience, you can prepare and chill the cheese balls overnight so they are very firm before you fry them. To test the temperature of your oil, drop a small piece of bread into the pot. If it sinks to the bottom, the oil is not hot enough; if it rises slowly to the top and turns golden brown, it’s just right for frying.

In Naples, fried zucchini is a street food, and it was always my favorite component of Frito Misto (a dish of mixed fried foods) when I was a child. I’ve made it lighter by coating it in the Japanese bread crumbs called panko instead of regular bread crumbs, a method you could use equally well with sweet potato slices, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers—really any vegetable you like.

A scapece means pickled, and the longer the vegetables marinate in the red wine vinegar, the better they taste. My family used to make them in the winter when the veggies weren’t at their peak. These are super versatile; serve them alongside pasta, bread, fish, or meat or as the centerpiece of an antipasto platter.

When I visited St. Louis on my first book tour, I sampled these addictive little cocktail nibbles. They are a perfect addition to an antipasto platter or a fun and easy party appetizer; serve them on a big platter with a small bowl of marinara in the center for dipping.

These patties are inspired by the Middle Eastern dish kibbe, most often made of ground lamb and bulgur wheat. The combination of turkey and quinoa is particularly rich in protein, with a chewy texture that contrasts nicely with the crisp cucumber and red-onion slices, and the creamy tahini dressing served alongside.

Loaded with folate, iron, and B vitamins, chickpeas and split peas are also high in protein and fiber. Here they combine to make a satisfying mid-afternoon snack; you can also serve either of them as an easy hors d’oeuvre, alongside a bowl of olives.

Latkes, traditionally served at Hanukkah, are typically panfried and topped with sour cream. This herbed carrot version eliminates much of the fat, requiring only a small amount of cooking oil and featuring drained low-fat yogurt as a topping. Be sure to squeeze all the juice from the onion to prevent the patties from falling apart.

Lower in saturated fat than chicken, turkey provides one of the leanest sources of animal protein. The nutrient-dense poultry also contains heart-healthy B vitamins and selenium. Round out this simple preparation with a side of steamed green beans.

Walnuts add a healthful dose of omega-3 fatty acids to bread crumbs, which keep the chicken moist. Roasting the chicken, rather than frying it, yields a crisp crust without adding much extra fat. If you don’t have day-old bread, lightly toast fresh bread to use instead.