lime leaves

As this recipe proves, lime juice, fish sauce and sugar is a powerful combination you should commit to memory. Traditionally, those three ingredients form the base of several classic Thai and Vietnamese sauces like nuoc cham and nam pla prik. The mayonnaise here is barely noticeable, but it serves an important role in helping the flavors adhere to the corn. The cilantro is optional so no one will throw a fit.

Corn on the Cob With Lime, Fish Sauce and Peanuts

corn,

lime

mayonnaise

fish sauce

sugar

peanuts

cilantro (optional)

Heat grill to medium-high. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until cooked through and lightly charred, 10 to 12 minutes. (Alternatively, drop corn in a large pot of salted boiling water and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.)

Meanwhile, zest the lime. Set aside the zest then cut the lime in half. Cut one half into four wedges and squeeze the remaining half into a small bowl. Stir the mayonnaise, fish sauce and sugar into the lime juice.

Slather hot corn with mayonnaise mixture. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, or, for maximum coverage, roll corn in peanuts spread on a plate. Sprinkle with lime zest and cilantro, if using. Serve with lime wedges alongside for squeezing.

You’ll find khao soi, a deeply fragrant, coconut milk-based stew, throughout Southeast Asia, but the dish is a specialty of Chiang Mai, a city in Northern Thailand. Chicken is simmered in a creamy, spicy-sweet broth, then served over boiled egg noodles and garnished with crunchy fried noodles. (When made with beef, the dish is called khao soi nuea.) This version is adapted from Noree Thai, a restaurant in Los Angeles, which Noree Pla owns with her partner, the chef Fern Kaewtathip. Ms. Pla serves the khao soi she learned from her mother, which requires more than a dozen ingredients, but once you have the ingredients prepared, the dish comes together in less than an hour. For a lighter broth, use about half of the curry paste; for a more pungent khao soi, use it all.

Khao Soi Gai (Northern Thai Coconut-Curry Noodles With Chicken)

red Thai chiles (or chiles de árbol)

lime leaves (optional)

cilantro stems with leaves (about 1/4 bunch)

shallots

2 (1 1/2- to 2-inch) pieces fresh, unpeeled turmeric, scrubbed

(3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

garlic cloves,

curry powder

shrimp paste

neutral oil

Kosher salt

(13-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk (not shaken or stirred)

chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)

chicken leg drumsticks (about 2 pounds)

palm sugar or brown sugar

shallot,

Chile paste or chile oil,

Lime wedges,

Make the curry paste: Bring 1/4 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the dried chiles and makrut lime leaves (if using) to a small bowl; pour the boiling water on top and let steep for 10 minutes.

While the mixture steeps, separate the cilantro leaves from the stems; set leaves and any tender stems aside for garnish. Roughly chop cilantro stems and add to a small food processor (or the bowl of a large mortar and pestle) along with the shallots, turmeric, lemongrass, ginger, garlic, curry powder, shrimp paste (if using) and lime zest.

Add the soaked chile mixture (including its liquid) and process (or crush with a pestle) until curry paste is smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, about 10 minutes for either method. Curry paste can be made up to 2 weeks ahead; store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Prepare the fried noodles: In a medium (2-quart) saucepan, bring 3 cups neutral oil to 325 degrees over medium-high heat. Add 4 ounces noodles and fry, flipping once or twice, until light brown, 30 to 60 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer noodles to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside until ready to serve. Cool, strain and store remaining oil in a covered jar for another use.

Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium. Add about 1/4 cup coconut cream, scraped from the top of one of the cans of coconut milk, to the pot and let it melt, about 10 seconds. Add at least half of the curry paste — or more, for a more pungent khao soi — and stir until deeply fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and the remaining coconut milk, and increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture just to a low boil, about 3 minutes.

Use 1 tablespoon salt to season drumsticks, then add them to the boiling curry mixture. Cover, and let simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover, lower heat, and add remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock along with 1 cup water. (It should be more like soup than stew.) Season to taste with fish sauce, sugar and salt. Turn heat to very low, and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 teaspoons salt and remaining 12 ounces noodles. Cook until al dente. Drain and portion into four bowls. Add 2 drumsticks to each bowl, and about 2 cups curry broth. Garnish with fried noodles, pickled mustard greens, sliced shallots, chile paste or oil, reserved cilantro leaves and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

This creamy, vibrant soup is a Thai-inspired version of the puréed squash soup you know and love. The green curry paste, which is relatively easy to find in the international aisle of the grocery store, along with coconut milk and fish sauce, perfectly complements the butternut squash's sweetness. But it's the topping — a spin on miang kham, a snack in Thailand and Laos full of peanuts, coconut and chiles — that's the real standout.

Butternut Squash And Green Curry Soup

coconut oil oil

shallots,

(2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

lemongrass stalk,

butternut

coconut milk

coconut flakes

red chiles,

neutral-tasting coconut oil

lemongrass

lime leaves, thinly sliced (optional)

basil leaves

limes,

Butternut Squash and Green Curry Soup

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Melt oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add shallots, ginger, lemongrass and a generous pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender and just starting to brown, about 18 minutes.

Add squash, coconut milk, curry paste, 3 tablespoons fish sauce and 3 cups water or stock. Increase heat to high. When liquid comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook the soup covered until squash is tender, about 25 minutes.

Make garnish while soup cooks: In a medium mixing bowl, toss together peanuts, coconut flakes, fish sauce, chiles, 1 tablespoon oil, the minced lemongrass, the sugar and the lime leaves, if using.

Spread mixture out onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes after the first 10 minutes. Remove from oven when coconut is deep golden brown, and pour mixture immediately into a bowl to prevent overcooking. Stir to combine, and set aside.

Remove soup from heat. Remove lemongrass stalks from pot. Use a hand blender to purée soup. Alternatively, transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and purée. Taste and adjust for salt and curry paste. Add water or stock to thin soup to the desired consistency.

Thinly slice the basil leaves and arrange on a small plate or platter, along with lime wedges and peanut mixture. Serve soup hot with garnishes.

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