Ginger

This recipe was created to accompany Red Snapper with Spicy Soy Glaze on Sauteed Vegetables and Sweet Potatoes. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Purchased puff pastry and almond paste help make an elegant dessert in minutes.

Chewy, candy-like caramel cookies enhanced with orange and crystallized ginger. The leftover orange sugar syrup is a delicious sweetener for hot tea.

Serve this stew over rice or on its own as a soup. Either way, sprinkle lettuce with rice vinegar and oriental sesame oil for a light salad. Sliced blood oranges and holiday cookies will do nicely afterward.

A flavorful accompaniment for roast pork, chicken, burgers, or grilled shrimp.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. In Indonesia, the sourness in this soup would typically come from tamarind, which can be hard to find in the United States. A shot of lemon juice works well instead. Serve this hot or cold, and do use the makrut lime leaves; they add a nice citrusy note.

Garnish with whole gingersnaps, cherries and mint for a beautiful presentation. Begin preparing the cake a day before the party.

Add chicken or pork to turn this side dish into a satisfying main course. Chopped roasted peanuts are a nice garnish.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Spicy and sophisticated.

"A friend served my homemade pear chutney at her dinner party, and everyone thought it was an unusual and delicious accompaniment for chicken," says Susan Banks of Seattle, Washington.

The popular North African chili paste known as harissa is featured in a braised-chicken dish from Laura Dewell, chef-owner of Pirosmani restaurant in Seattle.

At Canyon Ranch, the ahi is sometimes seared on the grill. We've opted for pan-searing, given the winter weather.

Pressing excess moisture out of your tofu will increase its firmness and its ability to absorb the flavors of the marinade.

I first tasted this Cantonese pickle in a commercial version that I bought in Seattle's International District. The pickle contained stem ginger, in thick pieces so tender that you could eat them right along with the other vegetables. If you happen to grow your own ginger, by all means use the stems in this recipe. Otherwise, include the ginger just as a flavoring. The children who have tasted this pickle love it just as much as the adults do.