Ming Tsai

When making crab cakes, it’s customary to keep the crabmeat in chunks. Here, it’s best to break up some of the meat to keep the crisp patties together.

Growing up, Ming Tsai loved the flavors of traditional Chinese hot-and-sour soup, but he didn’t like the heavy texture. This is his riff on that soup, with a much lighter and tangier broth.

This dish is a great showcase for the flavors of Southeast Asia: It’s spicy, tart, creamy and slightly sweet. Use the extra curry as a marinade or pan sauce for chicken or pork.