Ginger

In Indian cooking, tikka refers to chunks of meat cooked on skewers.

This lively salad is from Jorge Navarro, the chef-owner of Café Navarro, a cozy, Caribbean-style spot in Eugene, Oregon.

From the Williamsburg Inn's Regency Room.

This is the most often requested recipe in my repertoire, and I've passed it on to many, many people. It appears so often on Bay Area menus (sometimes called Dave's ginger cake, which, I admit, amuses and flatters me) that I sometimes think I'm responsible for too much of a good thing. Then I order it, taste it, and decide not to worry: This simple cake is wonderful.

After making this flavorful dressing in the processor, we give it a whirl in the blender for the smoothest texture. Crisp iceberg lettuce stands up best to this thick dressing. Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

Savor raw oysters served with three spicy, slightly sweet, and fiery salsas.

Inspired by the flavor-packed ginger scallion oil served with slices of chicken and duck at New York Noodle Town in Manhattan, we devised the following recipe.

Pineapple is a good finish to an Asian- or Caribbean- inspired meal. Serve the crêpes with vanilla ice cream.

Raita is a fresh yogurt sauce that typically accompanies curries and other Indian dishes. This raita also acts as a marinade.

Gah Yan Tsui writes, via gourmet.com: "I recently enjoyed a delicious lunch at Aquavit in New York City. Marcus Samuelsson makes an incredible mussel and carrot soup. Would it be possible to acquire the recipe?" This soup tastes much better when made with fresh carrot juice. If you don't have a juicer, you can get some at your nearest natural foods store. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Salt and pepper are predominant flavors in these sophisticated cookies (they're too spicy for children). Try pairing them with a tangy sorbet.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.