Emily Han

Homemade vanilla extract takes just two ingredients — vanilla beans and alcohol (like vodka) — and you can be as straightforward or creative as you like. Though it does take a bit of patience as you wait for the alcohol to extract the flavor from the beans, the delicious results are well worth it. It’s super easy to make and you only need two ingredients! Homemade vanilla extract is the perfect gift for friends and family who love to bake.

It tastes good with everything.

Around the world, wherever bananas grow, cooks have devised ways to use the giant leaves, wrapping them around foods both savory and sweet. A parcel made from banana leaves seals in moisture and flavor and infuses the contents with a subtle, grassy aroma. From Latin American to Asian dishes, here are 9 clever and beautiful ways to cook with the versatile leaves.Banana leaves are simply the giant, waxy leaves the grow on a banana plant. They are harvested for culinary use and for decoration.

Move over, ketchup and Sriracha! When it comes to versatile red condiments, harissa is my absolute favorite. This Tunisian chile sauce is a fantastic shortcut to spice up a meal and can be used with everything from meat to vegetables, couscous, roasted potatoes, scrambled eggs, as a dip for bread … the list is truly endless. Making them is easy; you can blend the chiles into a thick paste with garlic, olive oil, and aromatic spices.

It's a great little staple to have in your summer cooking repertoire.

Congee, jook, okayu. Asian-style rice porridge has many names and countless variations, but in every instance it is a simple, comforting dish for breakfast or any time of day. This extra nutritious version includes brown rice, shiitake mushroomsginger. I grew up with the Vietnamese version, called cháo, which my parents made using white rice and lots of water in a big, simmering pot. (It can also be made in a rice cooker or slow cooker.

One of my most enduring childhood memories is watching my bà nội, or grandmother, shaving corn – the clean, confident stroke of her knife, and the tumble of sweet, juicy kernels released from the cob. If we were lucky, she’d stir the kernels into a pot of coconut milk with tapioca pearls to make chè, a delectable Vietnamese pudding. I can think of few better treats than chè on a summer afternoon.

You’ve heard, perhaps, of raw eggs in cocktails (Ramos gin fizz, eggnog), but in soda?! Yes, and it’s better than it sounds. Soda sữa hột gà, or Vietnamese egg soda, may seem odd, but it’s surprisingly refreshing. Made from egg yolk, sweetened condensed milk, and club soda, it tastes like a rich, custardy ice cream soda.

If you peek inside my cupboards, you’ll see countless little jars of herb and honey concoctions that are both delicious and healing. Making herb-infused honey has become one of my favorite ways to use leftover sprigs of thyme from cooking dinner, a handful of wild mint found while foraging, or the buds of an edible flower bouquet. There are five steps in making herb-infused honey.

The other day we had to choose between a bunch of asparagus and a bag of sugar snap peas from our CSA. Most everyone picked the asparagus but we couldn’t resist the snap peas! Sweet, crunchy, and delicious raw or cooked (or pickled or roasted!), they are one of the most wonderful foods of spring.Here are 7 very different way to eat sugar snap peas. How do you like to prepare them.

From the ingredients you use to the foods you put them on, flavored salts are wide open to your imagination. Start with a flaky salt, add herbs, spices, or other ingredients, and you have a quick, unique way to season everything from sliced tomatoes to chocolate cakes. They make wonderful edible gifts, too. Here’s a step-by-step recipe with basic ratios to get you started, plus tips for how to use seasoned salts, and a few of our favorite ingredient combinations.

From our recent posts, we know that many of you love masala chai as much as we do. Here’s another aromatic, spiced beverage to try. Indonesian bandrek doesn’t contain tea, but it features many of the same ingredients, such as cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Simmer a pot of this on the stove, and your house will smell amazing. (It’s also an excellent sore throat soother!)Bandrek comes from the Sundanese people of Java.

Are you looking for a little boost this time of year? If you’re looking for a tea that calms your nerves and lifts your mood, have this lemon balm tea. It’s made with a blend of herbs including oatstraw, rose hips, lavender, orange peel, and lemon balm, a cheery plant with a long history of raising our spirits. Sipping this tea will surely brighten those dreary days.

Oolong tea is often described as being between green tea and black tea, so it makes sense that steeping techniques usually fall somewhere in the middle, too. Oolong tea comes in different oxidation levels and leaf shapes, so there is no one-size-fits-all method for steeping. This is also a wonderful tea for re-steeping, and you can discover new aromas and flavors with each new infusion. Oolong tea is often steeped in an Asian-style gaiwan or a clay Yixing teapot.

Sometimes, in the midst of cooking, a what if? can lead you towards an entirely new path. That’s what happened when I set out to make Vietnamese summer rolls wrapped in sheets of rice paper. “Can you fry rice paper?” my partner wondered as he eyed the translucent round sheets. “Let’s experiment,” I gamely replied.

Now that we’re up to speed on sprouted grains and their nutritional and culinary benefits, let’s take a look at how to actually make them at home. Sprouted grains, like wheat berries and rice, are super simple to make. They don’t require any major equipment, and they are also fun for both adults and kids to make. The grains are first soaked in water and then rinsed, drained, and kept moist inside a jar for a period of one to five days.

You’ve had eggs boiled, fried, poached, and scrambled … but how about steamed? Silky, savory Asian-style steamed eggs are a real treat at any meal. Different variations are used in China, Japan, and Korea, and I’ll share a recipe for making Korean-style steamed eggs or gyeran jjim. They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When steamed, the eggs set into the loveliest custard with the texture of silken tofu.

Have you ever tried beet kvass? Earthy, salty, sour, and sweet, this jewel-toned lacto-fermented beverage is full of probiotic goodness. Plus it’s ridiculously easy and affordable to brew right on your kitchen counter. Making beet kvass is similar to the process of making sauerkraut, traditional dill pickles, and kimchi.

Have you heard of fire cider? The first time I encountered this traditional folk recipe, I have to admit I was terrified. Horseradish, garlic, onion, ginger, hot peppers, and spices infused in apple cider vinegar? To drink? It took me years before I tried it, but you can be braver than me. It’s worth it! Plus you can use fire cider in so many ways — from cold cure to cooking to cocktails. Hot, pungent, sour, and sweet, fire cider is certainly not for the faint of heart.

It’s infinitely customizable.

From simple tricks to store-bought sips, we have you covered when it comes to non-alcoholic drink ideas. Most of these beverages aren’t too sweet, making them perfect to serve alongside food.• 12 Noon to Midnight – Light, refreshing, and not too sweet• Cascal• Grown-Up Soda (GUS), Vignette Wine Country Soda, DRY Soda Co.What are your favorite non-alcoholic drinks to have with a meal?Related: Ideas for Fun Non-Alcoholic Party Drinks?

Crisp, jewel-toned radishes make pretty appetizers for just about any entertaining occasion – dinner parties, picnics, brunches, cocktail parties. Here are 10 different ways to serve them, from little bites to dips and spreads. Most of these recipes come together very quickly, too!

More than a decade after experiencing my first pupusa, I can still remember my wide-eyed joy as I bit into the thick, stuffed tortilla. Why had I never eaten one before, and how soon could I have another? As I learned, the best part about El Salvador’s national dish isn’t just the warm, savory masa filled with melty cheese (or meat or beans), but its brilliant accompaniment called curtido.

This method is foolproof.