Vegetable

Drain the noodles well before coating with sauce.

Look for precooked polenta logs in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. If using fresh plum tomatoes, peel them by scoring an X in the bottom with a paring knife and plunging them into boiling water for several seconds; transfer to an ice-water bath, and let cool. Slip off and discard the peels and seeds.

You can substitute Chinese broccoli with broccolini or dark, leafy greens such as kale, turnip, or mustard greens. Before marinating the tofu, press it as described in step 1 to remove excess moisture.

Look for fresh lemongrass in Asian markets and some supermarkets.

This recipe can be doubled easily. Use a larger steamer, about ten inches in diameter, to cook all four portions at once in the same basket.

The baby artichokes are cooked in advance, so they only need to be grilled for a short time.

If you cannot find fenugreek seed, this curry is equally satisfying when ground fenugreek is substituted; add with the other ground spices.

If baby beets are not available, use large beets cut into 1-inch chunks.