Asian

Whenever you’re cooking tofu, here’s one of our no-fail techniques: Draining the tofu, then squeezing out as much water as possible (without smashing it), is the key to the crispiest cubes.

The most flavorful, hearty, and warming meal you've ever made with (almost) exclusively pantry staples.

Salty-tart and just-sweet-enough ponzu sauce is a great back-pocket finisher for everything from salads to roasted vegetables, especially when you are tired of your everyday vinaigrette.

Instead of just using plain rice, make your own medley! Try a mix of white rice, millet, and/or quinoa, which all cook in about the same time. You can also sub kale for the Napa cabbage.

Toasted sesame seeds can often be found in the Asian sections of some supermarkets, sometimes labeled Gomasio. If ever there was a time of year to keep a big jar of them on hand, pre-toasted and ready to go, this is it. They are the perfect crunchy topper for everything from salads to soups and roasted vegetables.

Faster than delivery, and about 10x more delicious.

The honey lends a sweet, caramelize-y twist to this quick curry, but if you want to up the heat, add a big pinch of cayenne pepper. Have some thick, crusty bread handy to scoop up all the extra sauce, or serve alongside a pile of rice for a low-maintenance comfort food dinner.

This method guarantees perfectly-cooked, crispy-skinned salmon every time. We promise.

The secret's in the (store-bought) sauce.

Never cooked cucumbers before? This recipe should convince you to give the method a try, especially when they’re quickly tossed in a hot pan and kept crisp, as they are here.

You’ll get all the traditional flavors of the classic takeout dish by using a marinade made up of oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, and soy sauce, but the steak and broccoli are grilled for a fresh summertime variation.

The farmers’ market in high summer is the best bet for finding the small, inky-purple, round eggplants used in this recipe.

This all-purpose sauce will go with any protein and doubles as a great dressing for summer salads.

Easy, flavorful, and healthy. A poached chicken miracle!

This colorful cold noodle salad is infinitely riffable.

This cold noodle salad can be customized however you want, but it's all about that sesame dressing.

The origins of this recipe are incredibly simple—leftover rice with hot water, broth, or tea poured over. We started there, then kept going. All of the finishing touches (ginger, furikake, and nori) make this feel less like a snack and more like a balanced dish.

No tough strips of dry meat here.

If you have a wok, gold star goes to you! Use it!

Shaoxing wine, a Chinese fermented rice wine, is the secret sauce that makes this recipe sing.