I grew up in a household with a Thai father and an American mother who had grown up in Asia, so most nights, dinner started with opening up the lid of the rice cooker to reveal a steaming pot of fresh rice. Even my mother's most solidly American casseroles were served with a side of white jasmine rice. Rice was the center of the plate. Rice made it a meal.

So I understood John Birdsall's recent piece for CHOW about "America's growing rice hegemony," and the divide between those who see rice as an essential part of a meal and those who don't. Which side are you on? More

Dumplings don't last long around these parts, whether they're potstickers, pierogi, gnocchi, or our newest darling, Tibetan momos. The name alone makes me want to grab a pair of chopsticks and pop one in my mouth. Have you ever tried them? More

We love the salty, savory taste of miso, but hate ending up with leftover miso paste. Recipes rarely call for more than a few tablespoons of the stuff and suddenly it's months later and the package is still sitting in the back of your 'fridge. Does this happen to you? Read on for 10 ideas on how to use every last spoonful! More

Thai basil is sweet basil's spicier, kickier cousin. It has all of that lovely licorice flavor and aroma that we love, but with a little something more. What do you cook with it? More

Do you enjoy eating spicy food in hot weather? I love the refreshing combination of cool cucumbers and hot chile peppers, as in the case of Korean oi muchim. This quick and easy salad makes a great potluck dish, or a fiery alternative to kosher dill or bread and butter pickles alongside sandwiches. And, of course, it's excellent alongside Korean BBQ (meat or tofu). More

Earlier this week folks chimed in about restaurant salad recreations. One of my favorite restaurant salads here in Los Angeles is the rojak at Singapore's Banana Leaf. Their vegetarian-friendly version of the fruit and vegetable salad served in Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia is spicy, tangy, sweet, and unbelievably refreshing. I won't stop ordering it at the restaurant, but I'm happy to have come up with a homemade version that doesn't require trekking across town. More

My Chinese teacher once told me that all Beijing expats start out by learning the same three words: nihao, pijiu, and yangrou chuanr - hello, beer, and lamb chuanr. Those three words are the essentials, because that's all you need to know to get a great dinner anywhere in the city, just find the nearest chuanr stand. More

Being the primary cook in my household, I was shocked to realize recently that I had no idea how to make one of my favorite marinades. My partner always handles the grilling of galbi (Korean short ribs) plus tofu or tempeh for me, but it seemed silly not to know what went into the sauce for this deeply flavored, salty and sweet Korean-style barbecue. Fortunately, it's pretty simple and now that I know, I can share it with you, too. More

Do you stir-fry at home? Is this easy, healthy method of cooking in your weeknight repertoire? It should be — a simple chicken stir-fry takes a short time to prep and a very small amount of time actually at the stove. But perhaps stir-frying is intimidating to you; do you wonder whether you need special equipment or a high-powered stove? We're here to tell you that no, you don't need anything special to stir-fry at home; it's one of the most home cook-friendly techniques!

Last week, we stepped into the New York City kitchen of Grace Young, stir-fry expert and author of multiple books on authentic Chinese cooking, including Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge. Grace demonstrated for us (and you!) everything you need to know to make several favorite stir-fry dishes, starting with this delicious, easy stir chicken stir fry. More

Sometimes the simplest dishes are the most satisfying. This is certainly true in the case of sinangag, a garlicky Filipino-style fried rice. Making this comfort food requires just a handful of ingredients – leftover rice, oil, garlic – and if you add an egg, it can even be a meal in itself. More