Rice & Grains

For good Nasi Goreng, the rice should be cooked 2-3 hours before it is fried, so that it has time to become cold.

A colorful, aromatic rice that is good with the Spicy Lamb Stew with Apricots and Cardamom, or with broiled chicken, fish or vegetables.

Because it's often the first dessert a child is allowed to eat, rice pudding can conjure up wonderful memories, which may be why it continues to be a favorite of a lot of grown-ups. Pure maple syrup sweetens the pudding, which develops a smooth golden topping as it bakes.

This quick one-pot meal is especially good with garlic toast or corn bread.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Moqueca de camarão Dendê (palm) oil brings to the cooking of coastal Brazil what drums bring to samba: an insistent underlying sensuality. It transforms the coconut milk with its deep orange-red color and makes the flavor of the shrimp sing. But it is as perishable as it is seductive, so smell it before you use it. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min

These homemade sushi rolls are filled with avocado and crab.

Posole is a thick, hearty stew typically containing corn and pork that originated in Jalisco, Mexico. Since I wanted to make this recipe vegetarian anyway, I decided to take it in an entirely new direction. The dried cherries may seem a little odd at first, but they lend a pleasant sweet-tartness to the dish while the pecans take it a bit deeper into the South. In the United States, we call the dried posole "hominy."

These little quesadillas are made with masa rather than packaged tortillas.

Chef Christoforos Peskias turned rice-stuffed tomatoes inside out and came up with something that resembles sushi topped with tuna. He forms rectangular "sushi" using a special mold; we found that a scoop works well for the home cook. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 4 hr