VIETNAMESE BO LA LOT by Linda Tay Esposito

This is a very tasty Vietnamese appetizer and part of the famous "bo 7 mon" Vietnamese menu of eating 7 different types of beef dishes. Beef 7 ways. No holy cow here. The skewers of little green parcels of beef make a lovely presentation. La lot is a type of Asian herb - a large shiny heart-shaped leaf which gives a peppery,…

Crab Cake by CHEF ASHRAF ABD ALEEM ELKHARBOTLY

Crab Cake

MALAYSIAN CURRY POWDER by Linda Tay Esposito

I re-created this recipe based on the memory of smell (oui, Rémy!) of the aroma in my late grandmother's house as she roasted curry powder. My grandmother roasted curry powder in a wok 1-yard in diameter, over a charcoal stove, and had all of us - her grandkids - tightly packed the spice mix into recycled glass ketchup bottles which…

NASI KUNING - TUMERIC YELLOW RICE by Linda Tay Esposito

The Nasi Kuning is molded into a cone shape and sits in the middle of a beautiful sea of spicy dishes in the Indonesian Nasi Tumpeng celebratory banquet. Tho' the yellow mountain comes from a mythical Hindu mountain, the predominantly Muslim Javanese still serves the rice this way. Nasi Kuning is a good accompaniment to any…

DUNGENESS CHILI CRAB by Linda Tay Esposito

The Singaporeans claim the Chili Crab as their national dish. As a good Malaysian, this was ^our^ dish! But since my good friend, Karina, gave me the original recipe for the dish, which I have now adapted to the abundance of this side of the Pacific pond, and she lives in Singapore now, I will gladly attribute this dish as…

spicy Thai sea food soup by CHEF ASHRAF ABD ALEEM ELKHARBOTLY

spicy Thai sea food soup

YU SANG - CHINESE NEW YEAR SALAD by Linda Tay Esposito

When Chinese New Year comes around in Malaysia and Singapore, one cannot escape the symbolic dish of Yu Sang. When I was a corporate banker in Kuala Lumpur (in my previous life), we would take our customers out for Yu Sang lunch, and Yu Sang dinner during CNY. If it was served for breakfast, we would have taken them out for Yu Sang…

THAI KHAO TOM MOO by Linda Tay Esposito

Thailand's breakfast for champions. A comfort food, the soup makes a wonderful meal. Besides being a popular breakfast item in Thailand (hold the bacon, give me pork balls!), it is also their version of chicken soup for the days when one is under the weather.

Thai-riffic Noodle Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing by Skinny Kitchen with Nancy Fox

This colorful main course salad is elegant enough to serve for company but my husband and I love it so much, we sometimes have it for dinner several times in the same week! Once you try it you’ll know why we’re a little obsessed with this Asian style noodle salad. It’s packed with flavor, chock full of nutritious skinny ingredients,…

Spicy Thai Pork (Larb) by Chef Smith

Skinny and Sensational, Thai Chicken and Peanut Noodles by Skinny Kitchen with Nancy Fox

I love any kind of Asian noodle dish, especially a Thai one that includes peanut butter. Good news too: Peanut butter is heart healthy. It’s very filling and satisfying when added to a noodle dish. The red pepper flakes add just the right amount of spice. The skinny for each fiber rich serving is 290 calories, 8 grams of fat, 7 grams…

Wok fried rice with shrimps by CHEF ASHRAF ABD ALEEM ELKHARBOTLY

Wok fried rice with shrimps

PADANG EGGPLANT by Linda Tay Esposito

Also known as "Terong Belado" this is a yummy and beautiful dish. The juxtaposition of the fiery red of the sambal with the brilliant purple of the eggplant is a feast for the eyes as well. The sambal can be used as a condiment for lots of other dishes. Try it with grilled salmon, or a bowl of laksa.

SAMBAL & CUCUMBER FINGER SANDWICHES by Linda Tay Esposito

The British have their dainty cucumber sandwich....eaten with raised pinkies. Malaysia, a former British colony, added a little a lot of spice to the cucumber sandwich, and came up with the sambal sandwich. We made this sandwich in our Asian Mini Sandwiches class at Whole Foods recently and it was a hit! The butter softens the spice…

PENANG FRIED KUEY TEOW by Linda Tay Esposito

A favorite street food in Malaysia. When I used to wait for my fried kuey teow at my favorite kuey teow hawker stall, I was always fascinated by the lightning speed that the dish is prepared in. The trick is to wok fast and use high heat. The kuey teow master wok so much, his spatula was ground down to the shape of the wok. It…