Noodle

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Although several varieties of basil are used in Southeast Asia, the most common-called rau que in Vietnam and bai gaprow in Thailand-is generally referred to as Thai basil in Asian markets on this side of the Pacific. The leaves are slightly darker and narrower than the more familiar Italian basil and have purple stems and flowers. Rau que has a distinctively pungent anise flavor, but Italian basil is a perfectly acceptable substitute.

In classic Chinese cooking, noodles destined for soup are cooked separately and added at the last minute so that the starch from the pasta doesn't cloud the broth. Because we were aiming for a rib-sticking dish, we broke with tradition and cooked the noodles right in the stock, allowing the starch to thicken the soup slightly.

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

My reason for disliking this dish as a child was more about what it lacked than what it delivered — it wasn't savory enough to be lasagna or sweet enough for dessert, so why bother eating it? I do, however, remember the first few times I watched my mother prepare kugel — the thrill of all those noodles, and the seductive smell of cinnamon and butter as it baked, which only set the stage for my letdown when I tasted this bland noodle square on my plate.

Serve with: Spinach salad topped with toasted almonds, and sesame breadsticks.

A hearty stew-like soup inspired by Vietnamese pho. The hot and sour elements are great paired with Asian beer. Start preparing this soup one day before serving.

Good as a side dish or meatless entráe.

This Russian dish has been around for several centuries, but it wasn’t until the fifties that it became all the rage in the United States (despite our fear of Communism). Here is a delicious rendition that pays tribute to the "gourmet" chafing-dish dinner party. Now, as then, beef stroganoff is a good thing to cook in front of a small crowd.

Buckwheat noodles give this classic spring pasta dish a nifty twist. Uncork your favorite Chardonnay.

For this traditional Asian fondue, raw strips of chicken are cooked quickly at the table in a pot of boiling broth. Guests then place the cooked chicken strips on lettuce leaves, add noodles and whatever garnishes they choose, roll up the leaves and complete the packages with a bit of the Sweet-and-Spicy Dipping Sauce. When all of the chicken has been eaten, divide the remaining broth among the guests.

Offer a salad of snow peas and sliced radishes in a ginger vinaigrette. End with oranges and almond cookies. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Noodles-which are staples in Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines and Myanmar (formerly Burma)-are showing up everywhere these days. Cutting vegetables in julienne style is a Western technique.

Some cooks may prefer to substitute more readily available angel's-hair pasta for the rice noodles called for in this recipe.

The follow recipe is an adoption of "chicken long rice," a frequent accompaniment to roast pig at a luau. Although Chinese in origin, this dish has been enthusiastically adopted by all Hawaiians. "Long rice" refers to bean-thread noodles that are cut into short lengths. We eliminated the chicken traditionally included in this recipe to make it a lighter side dish for our Grilled Teriyaki Pork Chops with Pineapple Papaya Relish . Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.