Root Vegetable

Pretty protein-rich bites by Jarett Brodie, chef at FR.OG in New York City.

All sorts of English terms have made it into the Indian culinary lexicon. This is what's called a chicken "roast."

Food editor Maggie Ruggiero became enamored of a sesame-dressed salad at Donguri, a Japanese home-cooking restaurant in New York City. This is her take on it. Because the sesame seeds are unhulled, they have a richness that flatters the freshness of spring vegetables—here, cool kohlrabi and sweet pea shoots.

That distinctive quality of ume-shiso—the tart-and-salty combination of umeboshi (pickled plums) and green shiso, an exuberantly undefinable fresh herb—really enhances the juicy sweetness and char of grilled shrimp and the faintly radishy crunch of daikon.

Sertl appreciated the basic recipes he learned at The CIA the most. "When you're crunched for time, you're grateful to have these go-to techniques under your belt," he says. These buttery, parsleyed red potatoes have just a suggestion of saffron.

Can't take the heat? Then eat some raita. In India, the condiment is used to cool the palate.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Aroma: The Magic of Essential Oils in Food and Fragrance by Mandy Aftel and Daniel Patterson. This is an incredibly useful and versatile stock. It has a sweet vegetal flavor that can be used in many different ways—as a base for sauces and soups, adding richness and depth without changing the essential flavor of what it is paired with. It keeps in the refrigerator for one week, or you can freeze it indefinitely.

This vegetarian curry is delicious served with some basmati rice alongside.

Wear gloves when working with super-hot chiles like habaneros.

These tacos don't come from a particular town or restaurant; rather, they incorporate elements from many different Yucatán grill masters. The preparation may look complicated, but it's actually pretty easy—because your guests assemble the tacos themselves.

Arrachera (skirt steak) is one of the most popular grilled meats in the Yucatán— served sizzling hot off the steel-drum grills of street vendors and at restaurants like La Parrilla in Cancuún.

Frozen puff pastry makes a quick and easy crust for this modern take on pizza.