Bean and Legume

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Ever wonder how soybeans turn into smooth, creamy tofu? First, the beans are pressed to extract soy milk, which is then curdled. The curds are drained, pressed, and cut into blocks of tofu.

"For my son's birthday, I'd like to make a pasta, sausage, and lentil dish that we both ate during an Italian vacation," writes Miriam Scott of New York, New York. "We stayed at Locanda l'Elisa, located just south of Lucca in Tuscany. The hotel's greenhouse-like restaurant, the Gazebo, served the pasta dish that was so wonderful. Could you possibly track down the recipe? " Adding some of the pasta's cooking water to this dish gives it a creamy quality.

Frances Driesbach, Maui, Hawaii
"This chili was inspired by Southern Calif., where I grew up. Red, green, and yellow peppers represent the Mexican fiesta."

Gazpacho de Habas This gazpacho has a haunting flavor — barely identifiable as lima beans — and is also excellent when you substitute pine nuts for the limas, as the chef at El Churrasco, in Córdoba, often does. The addition of an egg — not at all unusual in white gazpachos — gives this soup a creamier, richer taste. It is best served in small portions.

I leave the roots on the leeks until after cooking, so they don't fall apart. Just wash and trim beforehand.

Here's a good example of Thomas Keller's culinary magic: Simple flavors come together spectacularly in this special dish from The French Laundry in Napa Valley.

This Cambodian curry is traditionally made with beef, but Mao Sokhen says his American friends prefer the chicken variation. Though you can use any brand of Thai red curry paste and Asian fish sauce for this recipe, Mao likes the brands recommended below because he finds they produce a dish that is closer to classic Cambodian flavor.

(Salade de Lentilles Vertes aux Lardons) Smoked ham and bacon give this lentil salad a rich, robust flavor. Serve it alongside roasted meats or poultry.

Transporting this dish is easy: Stack the fillet slices together and wrap them in plastic wrap; pack the arugula, onions, beans, and dressing in separate containers. Then toss everything together just before serving.

Denise Anderson, Lexington, Ky.
"I created this chili when my husband and I were trying to eat less meat."

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 2 hr

There's no alternative to Chinese sausage—it's slightly sweet and very flavorful.

Team this hearty side dish with a pork or chicken entrée, or just add some crusty bread and make a meal out of it.

Canned red bean paste is an acceptable product, but the homemade kind is obviously much tastier. In Chinese markets, you'll find small, plump dried red beans called _hoong dul,_not to be confused with adzuki beans, _zeck siu dul,_also small red beans that are oblong in shape. This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of red bean paste, just enough filling for Sesame Balls. Use regular brown sugar for this recipe.

The great flavor of toasted cumin adds a nice dimension to this easy side dish. It's an extra step that is definitely worth it.