We were delighted to see Mark Bittman's spotlight on fermented black beans in the New York Times Dining section. We have a thing for these tiny salted soybeans, and it was great to see them brought front and center. Here's what we know about fermented black beans. More

When shopping at Asian markets, you might see these long, flat, brightly-colored green leaves sold in big bunches. They look like very long blades of grass. Take a whiff and you'll notice a very distinctive smell of garlic. These are nira, otherwise known as garlic chives and Chinese leek! More

Even if you aren't traveling far this summer, you can take a trip through Asia right in your own kitchen. Here are 15 of our favorite Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese dishes for warm weather, including refreshing salads, barbecue crowd pleasers, and quick-cooking dinners. More

For a brief window in the early summer, Japanese and Korean markets sell these tiny green fruits. Prunus mume, or in Japanese, 梅:うめ, is actually an apricot, but always referred to as a plum. Originating in China, ume are now widespread throughout East Asia and are the main ingredient in the salty pickled plums called umeboshi and in plum wine. More

A Chinese friend introduced me to this several years ago. In China, one of the most popular ways to use tonic herbs is to cook them in a soup with some chicken and sometimes a piece of fresh ginger. The herbs are believed to have tonifying and medicinal properties. Whether you believe these claims or not isn't the point; this soup is delicious and nutritious. More

I discovered Eight Treasure Tea in Chinatown a few years ago. I was wandering around and found a little tea shop/cafe where you can order any one of their hundreds of teas and enjoy a cup brewed for you. There was one tea propped up on the shelf behind the counter, and the name sounded intriguing; Eight Treasure Tea - so I ordered it. It was sweet and light all at the same time, not too strong or too deep, but a lovely, fragrant flavor. I was hooked. More

In our recent post on how to poach a chicken, a reader mentioned Mark Bittman's version of Hainanese chicken with rice. It's a pure, simple meal: Chicken poached with garlic and ginger, then shredded. The light, ginger-scented chicken broth is used to cook rice, and then the chicken and rice are served with a sprinkle of scallions and cilantro, and a drizzle of sesame oil.

It sounded like heaven on a plate, a nourishing meal for spring. And you know what? It is. More

Chewy, flaky, and savory scallion pancakes are one of our very favorite Chinese restaurant treats. This pan-fried bread has a lot in common with Indian parathas and other simple flatbreads, and if you follow a few simple steps, they are easy to make at home. Here are instructions on how to make addictively delicious Chinese scallion pancakes in your home kitchen! More

Perhaps you've seen these trees with the beautiful fan-shaped leaves in your neighborhood or in a local park. The female members of these trees produce an edible nut; unfortunately, the fruit enclosing the nut smells really bad. Their fragrance deters most people from trying them, much like the durian fruit. More

Perhaps you've seen this vegetable at Asian grocery stores or at farmer's markets. These long bundles of green (or purple!) pods are usually gathered together with a rubber band. Usually called Chinese long beans, they also go by asparagus bean or snake bean. More