Naomi Duguid

This bright, herbaceous porridge from cookbook author Naomi Duguid is a staple of Persian home cooking. Traditionally called ash, this soup can be made days in advance and reheats beautifully. Simply swirl in the tangy pomegranate molasses, then let the tiny lamb meatballs simmer in the soup for 10 minutes before serving. Slideshow: More Soup Recipes 

I love this style of cooking chicken for both its flavor and its ease. The chicken is cut into pieces and rubbed with salt and lemon juice, kind of a quick marinade, before being shallow-fried until golden. But there’s no worry about whether the frying cooks the chicken completely, because it then simmers in water with a little onion, turmeric, and cumin until tender and cooked through. Slideshow: More Fried Chicken Recipes 

The Persian dishes called borani are a genius combination of cooked vegetable and thick drained yogurt. They are generally topped with fried onions, and often with a scattering of lightly toasted walnuts. People rave whenever I serve them, especially this spinach version. Slideshow: More Spinach Recipes 

Plus: More Grilling Recipes and Tips

This lightly pickled condiment can be served on its own as a palate-refreshing side salad as well as on sandwiches. Peeled daikon radish can be substituted for half of the carrots.Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips

To turn Japanese Rice into Sushi Rice, simply cook the rice with a little less water and flavor it with vinegar, sugar and salt. You can wrap sushi rice in nori (seaweed) for a quick snack or use it to make the Brown Bag Sushi. Delicious, Quick Side Dishes

Choy sum—sometimes called Chinese broccoli or flowering cabbage—is a small green-stemmed Chinese vegetable similar to broccoli rabe, with a few yellow flowers. Our children, who are not the world's most daring eaters, love it stir-fried until it's bright green and still a little crunch. You can find it at Asian produce markets and in some large supermarkets, or you can substitute another Asian green, such as bok choy.Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips

Rice-Bowl Rice is plain white Chinese rice. Notice that no salt or oil is added during cooking; all the flavor comes from cai, the dishes eaten with the rice. Delicious, Quick Side Dishes

These sandwiches are standard street fare throughout Southeast Asia, from Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh to Vientiane. The baguettes, meats, mayonnaise and butter were introduced by the French; the coriander, seasoned carrots and hot chile give the subs their distinctive Southeast Asian character. Great Comfort Food Recipes

Choy sum—sometimes called Chinese broccoli or flowering cabbage—is a small green-stemmed Chinese vegetable similar to broccoli rabe, with a few yellow flowers. Our children, who are not the world's most daring eaters, love it stir-fried until it's bright green and still a little crunch. You can find it at Asian produce markets and in some large supermarkets, or you can substitute another Asian green, such as bok choy.Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips

Rice-Bowl Rice is plain white Chinese rice. Notice that no salt or oil is added during cooking; all the flavor comes from cai, the dishes eaten with the rice. Delicious, Quick Side Dishes

These sandwiches are standard street fare throughout Southeast Asia, from Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh to Vientiane. The baguettes, meats, mayonnaise and butter were introduced by the French; the coriander, seasoned carrots and hot chile give the subs their distinctive Southeast Asian character. Great Comfort Food Recipes

Som tam is a highly seasoned green papaya salad sold by street vendors throughout northeast Thailand and Laos. It is made by pounding papaya with other ingredients in a large stone mortar. This version calls for green beans, which are more readily available. To eat the salad in the traditional way, use cabbage wedges to scoop it up.Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips

In Calcutta Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford were introduced to this princely rice, which has a delicate, somewhat sweet flavor. Govindobhog is a long-grain white rice on a miniature scale, like a baby basmati. If you come across it, buy plenty, then enjoy it as an everyday plain rice or as an alternative to basamatic in Chelo, a delicious Persian pilaf. Delicious, Quick Side Dishes

These noodles are served with a mild chile-and-vinegar condiment that brings out the full flavor of the dish, as does the fresh white pepper that is sprinkled on top before serving.Plus: More Pork Recipes and Tips

 Amazing Chicken Recipes

Known as kouign amann (pronounced kween-yah-MAHN), this classic cake from Brittany is made with bread dough and butter and has a caramelized-sugar top. This easy version, prepared with store-bought bread dough or pizza dough, has been adapted from Home Baking.In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best: We got our first taste of kouign-amann, the irresistibly sweet and flaky pastry from Brittany in northwestern France, in 2004 from authors Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford, who traveled the world in pursuit of recipes. Making kouign-amann is not too different from making croissants, wherein butter is folded into a rich, yeasty dough, but here it melts and browns as it bakes, producing an aroma that’s both dreamy and homey. Kouign-amann also includes sugar, which creates crisp, golden caramelized bits that are truly impossible to resist. Duguid and Alford’s brilliant version is prepared with store-bought bread or pizza dough.

Although the soothing, simple rice soup known as congee is most often served unseasoned, with flavors added as you eat, some versions are flavored while they cook. There are yam and pumpkin congees, fish congees and sweet bean congees—all wonderful collections of contrasting tastes and textures.Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid are particularly fond of this beef and lettuce congee. Just after the rice is cooked, flavor and texture are added in the form of thin slices of marinated beef, sliced scallions and ribbons of crisp romaine lettuce. The soup should be served with chile paste and freshly ground white or black pepper.Plus: More Beef Recipes and Tips