Dan Dan Noodle Salad

Dan Dan Noodle Salad - Hetty Lui McKinnon

Turns out, dan dan noodles work well as a salad, in this recipe adapted from my cookbook “Linger: Salads, Sweets and Stories to Savor” (Knopf, 2025), as the signature punchy sauce made with sesame paste and chile oil transforms nicely into an assertive dressing. Curly and chewy ramen noodles cling perfectly to the sauce, but you could really use any noodle you like, including instant noodles, udon or thick rice noodles. Adapt this salad throughout the year by adding seasonal vegetables such as mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, snow peas, spinach or green beans.

Yield: 4 servings

For the Salad

Sea salt

10 ounces baby bok choy (about 4)

10 ounces fresh or frozen ramen noodles

2 cups/10 ounces fresh or canned corn kernels (or thawed from frozen)

2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds

2 scallions, thinly sliced

For the Dan Dan Dressing

2 tablespoons Chinese sesame paste or tahini

2 tablespoons chile oil or chile crisp, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari

2 teaspoons black or rice vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 garlic clove, grated

2 to 3 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk (such as soy or oat) or water

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Separate the white and green parts of the baby bok choy. Slice the white parts into thick pieces. Place in a colander and rinse well to remove any dirt or sediments. Drain.

Add the ramen to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to packet directions. About 1½ minutes before the noodles are ready, add the white parts of the baby bok choy and the corn. Just before everything is ready, throw in the green bok choy leaves and blanch until they are wilted, about 20 seconds. Drain immediately and refresh under cold running water, then leave to drain again. Let cool while you make the dressing.

Make the dan dan dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, chile oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and garlic until a chunky paste forms. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and whisk, adding another tablespoon if needed, until the dressing is smooth and pourable. The dressing should be the consistency of cream. (The dressing can be prepared up to 2 days ahead and stored in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge. It will thicken up, so add a splash or two of milk or water to loosen it up before adding to the noodles.)

In a large shallow bowl, place the ramen noodles, greens and corn. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the sesame seeds, scallions and a few drops of chile oil. Taste and season with salt if needed. Serve at room temperature.

TIP: This was a great dish. The sauce is the star and we 1.5x it because I always like extra sauce. We also used water b/c we don’t have fake milk. Added tofu for protein. Will definitely have this recipe on our rotation!

This was as good as it read. I used mushrooms rather than corn, and water (have no fake milk) to thin the dressing - which to me, really made this work.

I didn't miss the pork at all, and for me, that's saying something. It was easy to scale down for one w/lunch the next day.

One-Pot Shrimp and Tomato Pulao

One-Pot Shrimp and Tomato Pulao

This shrimp pulao is a beloved staple in the kitchens of Mumbai’s Parsi community, descendants of Zoroastrians who settled in India after fleeing religious persecution in Iran. Rooted in the rich traditions of South Asian cooking, the dish features familiar elements like cumin, red chile powder and fragrant basmati rice. What truly sets this pulao apart is its unmistakable tang from a bold, savory mix of tomatoes, vinegar, lemon slices and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. That signature sourness balances the gentle sweetness of plump shrimp and caramelized onions, creating a deeply satisfying one-pot meal. Ready in under an hour and easily scalable, it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner or feeding a crowd with minimal fuss. Serve with a cooling raita, alongside dhanshak or all by itself. 

Yield: 4 servings

1 cup basmati rice 

1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp 

1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chile powder (or other mild red chile powder)

¾ teaspoon ground turmeric 

¼ cup ghee or neutral cooking oil (such as vegetable or canola)

4 whole peppercorns

3 whole cloves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds 

1 medium yellow, white or red onion, thinly sliced 

1½ tablespoons garlic paste or freshly grated garlic  

2 to 3 Thai green chiles, chopped

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1½ cups chicken stock or water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus 3 lemon slices (from 1 lemon) 

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for serving

In a bowl, cover the rice with water and set aside to soak. In a bowl, combine the shrimp, chile powder and turmeric, tossing to coat the shrimp.

In a Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat ghee on medium until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir in the peppercorns, cloves and cumin seeds. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Stir in the green chiles and cumin. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper, and stir some more. Continue cooking until the tomatoes start to become jammy and the oil separates from the tomato mixture, 5 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the seasoned shrimp, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, and continue cooking for a few minutes, until the shrimp start to turn pink.

Drain the rice, add it to the pot and stir to coat. Stir in the stock, lemon juice and lemon slices. Turn the heat up to high. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the pulao rest, still covered, for 10 minutes.

Uncover and fluff the pulao with a serving spoon. Adjust seasoning to taste, and top with cilantro before serving.

TIP: Easy, wonderful one-pot dish that works perfectly for the weekdays. Do remember to put the lemon slices in as they soak up all the spices. Getting mouthfuls of soft lemon and jammy tomatoes is the experience to have here. I might even suggest adding more tomatoes and lemon slices the next time I make this. It's a keeper!

Wow, was this good! I thought it was perfect the way it was, but I did like another commenter’s suggestion to use more tomatoes and lemon slices and I plan on making a version using those suggestions soon.

I live on Cape Fear where we have access to fresh-caught shrimp for much of the year. The cooking method here did not cause the shrimp to become tough or otherwise less appealing. In fact I thought they were pretty perfect. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this recipe to anyone

Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Pasta

Chicken and Broccoli Rabe Pasta

The combination of pasta, garlic and olive oil has long been one of the best ways to feed many mouths with ease. Here, that garlicky pasta is joined by browned chunks of chicken, tender and bitter broccoli rabe and spicy cherry peppers. Browning boneless, skinless chicken breast takes little effort if done right — the key is to not overcrowd the pan. The chicken cooks through quickly, so sautéing it in batches adds minimal time and maximum flavor to this recipe. Feel free to use broccolini instead of broccoli rabe, sweet cherry peppers instead of spicy or even another short pasta instead of cavatelli — just don’t skip the freshly grated Parmesan on top. 

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Salt and pepper

1 large bunch broccoli rabe (about 1¼ pounds), tough stems removed, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 pound cavatelli or other short pasta

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more if desired

8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons chopped jarred hot cherry peppers

Grated Parmesan, for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli rabe to the boiling water, cooking until the broccoli rabe is a vibrant green color, 60 to 90 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli rabe to a bowl, then rinse with cold water and strain. Set aside. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain. 

Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and then cut  into 1-inch cubes and  salt generously. Place a large pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is shimmering add half of the chicken. Cook the chicken for 3 minutes, then flip over to cook for 3 minutes more, until chicken is browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Add another tablespoon of oil and cook the remaining chicken using the same method, then combine all of the chicken in the pan.  

Add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil to the pan along with the garlic and cherry peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is  golden, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli rabe and cooked pasta and stir to combine.  Add more olive oil, as needed, to coat the pasta. Season to taste. Serve warm, topped with freshly grated Parmesan.

TIP: I made this exactly as written, but felt it needed more acid, so I added the juice of one lemon at the very end. We loved it, and it was a breeze to make! Next time, I will keep the lemon and probably double the amount of chopped hot cherry peppers.

 I used your suggestion and added the broccoli rabe for the final two minutes of the pasta cooking time.

Eggplant Chickpea Salad With Olive Dressing

Eggplant Chickpea Salad With Olive Dressing

This roasted vegetable salad combines caramelized, smoky vegetables with a simple, punchy sauce made of green olives, lemon, shallots and olive oil. The vegetables develop deep, rich flavors, while the bright, tangy sauce and feta cheese ties everything together. The salad is great on its own as a vegetarian main, or alongside some pan-roasted sausages if you want to make it a little more hearty. If you’re meal prepping, keep the sauce separate and drizzle it on last so that the vegetables stay vibrant and fresh.

Yield: 4 servings

2 pounds globe or Japanese eggplant 

2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed and patted dry

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 

2 teaspoons fennel seeds, coarsely ground (see Tip)

Salt

Black pepper 

2 heads romaine (about 1 pound)  

20 pitted Castelvetrano or other meaty green olives

1 small shallot or ¼ small red onion

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)

⅔ cup crumbled feta 

Whole-milk yogurt, for serving, optional

Fresh herb leaves such as oregano, cilantro or dill, for serving

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. While the oven heats, cut the stems off the eggplant, cut the eggplant into 1-inch chunks and transfer to a sheet pan. Add the chickpeas, drizzle with ½ cup olive oil and toss to combine and coat well. Add the fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; toss again.

Roast, tossing occasionally, until the eggplant is golden and tender and the chickpeas are slightly crisp, 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, roughly chop romaine and divide among serving bowls or plates. Roughly chop the olives and place in a small bowl. Finely chop the shallot and add to the bowl with the olives along with the lemon juice and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine.  

When ready to serve, top the romaine with the roasted eggplant and chickpeas. Sprinkle with the feta and drizzle with the yogurt, if using, then top with the herbs. Spoon the olive dressing over the vegetables. 

Tip: To coarsely grind fennel seeds, gather them in a shallow pile on a cutting board and slice through them slowly two to three times. The seeds may bounce and roll around, so using a medium or large cutting board helps keep them contained and makes the process easier. Alternatively, you can crush them slightly using a mortar and pestle.

Miso-Labneh Onion Dip

Miso-Labneh Onion Dip

A few small tweaks to the classic sour cream and onion number yield this truly exceptional dip, adapted from my cookbook, “Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share With People You Love” (Random House, 2025). A little miso paste and vinegar take caramelized onions — already rich in character — to a whole new level. The salt, sweetness, umami and acid balance out the onions’ earthiness and dark caramel notes. Labneh offers a welcome tangy counterpoint to the robustly flavorful onion mixture without sacrificing creaminess. And though it’s best served with potato chips, this dip also works beautifully as a sandwich spread or alongside steak, roast chicken and roasted vegetables.

Yield: About 2 cups

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

2 tablespoons white miso

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or aged sherry vinegar

1½ cups labneh

1½ teaspoons onion powder

3 tablespoons minced chives, plus more for garnish

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Potato chips, pita, crudités or crackers, for serving

Set a large skillet over medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the oil. When it shimmers, add the onions and season with salt. Cook, stirring the onions and scraping the pan regularly, until the onions begin to brown. After about 20 minutes, once the onions have cooked off most of their water, bare spots in the pan might cause onions to start to stick and burn. Add a splash of water as needed to loosen any cooked-on bits. As long as they’re not burned, you can scrape and stir them back into the onions. If they are burned, don’t add any water and instead scrape everything but the blackened bits into a new pan and continue cooking — you may also need to add another tablespoon or so of oil.

Continue cooking and scraping regularly until the onions are very well caramelized, 45 to 55 minutes total. Turn off the heat and stir in the miso and vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and vinegar as needed.

Allow the onions to cool, then chop them finely. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and add the labneh, onion powder, chives and a few grinds of pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt. Add sugar if needed to balance out the salt and vinegar.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with more chives. Serve with potato chips, warm pita, crudités or crackers. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 week.

TIP: Since none of these comments are about the dip let me be the first! I followed the recipe as is, and it is wonderful. If you like the grocery French onion dip packet, this is a whole other level. I used a pre bought labne and it worked wonderfully. I did add a tiny bit more salt to the final mix, plus extra pepper. For the other comments, white miso is a bit more sweet and lighter in flavor compared to the red and brown misos. I’m excited to bring this recipe to parties coming up for the holidays and other outings! Thank you Samin.

Labneh is simply Greek yogurt that has been strained further. Put your Greek yogurt into a strainer with a coffee filter over a bowl, cover & pop into the fridge overnight and you wake up to lovely labneh.

Sheet-Pan Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Sheet-Pan Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Here’s a clever trick for making a big batch of pancakes that will save you from spending all morning at the stove: Bake them all at once on a sheet pan. In this recipe, the batter comes together like biscuit dough by cutting the cold butter into the flour before adding the liquid. This cuts down on gluten production, which means fluffier pancakes. For wonderfully crisp edges, heat the sheet pan in advance, so the batter starts cooking as soon as it’s poured into the pan. If you like, you can stir a teaspoon of vanilla extract into the batter, sprinkle it with finely chopped fruit, or mix and match toppings to please the crowd.

Yield: 6 servings

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus 8 tablespoons/115 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled

1½ cups/360 milliliters cold buttermilk

1½ cups/360 milliliters cold whole milk

3 cups/385 grams all-purpose flour

¼ cup/50 grams granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¾ cup/125 grams mini chocolate chips

Maple syrup, for serving (optional)

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a 13-by-18-inch sheet pan using 1 tablespoon softened butter, then line it with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and milk; set aside.

In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, and blend until combined, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle the chilled butter cubes on top and pulse the mixture until the butter is coarse and sandy, and some pieces are the size of peas. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and pour the buttermilk mixture on top. Whisk to combine, then let stand for 5 minutes. Place the prepared sheet pan in the oven on the middle rack to heat while the batter sits.

Remove the hot pan from the oven, add the remaining 2 tablespoons softened butter to the pan and return to the oven until the butter is melted and bubbling, about 1 minute. Remove the pan and carefully tip to spread the melted butter around. Working quickly, stir the risen batter one final time and pour it into the center of the pan, tipping the pan again to spread the batter evenly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the batter.

Return the pan to the oven and bake until cooked through, 13 to 15 minutes. Broil until the top turns golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool slightly then cut into squares. Serve warm, with maple syrup, if desired.

TIP: So to those of you fretting about not having a food processor: fear not. I do have one, but kids are sleeping so I used the same method used forever to mix butter and flour in my native France: just cut the butter in small cubes and mix it in with tips of fingers rubbing into the flour. Tip: cut your stick of butter four times lengthwise, turn it over and repeat on adjacent face, then cut crosswise all the way through. You will have about pea size squares , dump in flour separating them. Voila!

The parchment paper in this and many other sheet pan baking recipes is to make it easier to remove nice squares from the pan -- the parchment reduces sticking and makes it possible to lift the whole rectangle of pancake out of the pan to slice, if you'd like. Buttering the pan first helps the parchment adhere to the pan so that it doesn't slide around as much (though that's optional in my experience); buttering the parchment further reduces sticking. Cut and lift off of it; don't eat it!

This recipe won’t replace pancakes in our house, but it is an excellent option for a company brunch. For a first trial we made a half recipe in a 13 by 9 inch pan. We followed the method exactly, but omitted the chocolate chips. The “pancakes” were light and flavorful: we served them topped with fresh fruit and a few toasted pecans. For a full recipe, I plan to use two of these smaller sheet pans—the edges had a crispness we enjoyed!

I've learned a simple short cut to add the butter instead of cutting in the butter in my non-existent or noisy food processor. Melt the stick of butter in the oven while it's preheating, then, just before you mix the wet with the dry, stir the melted butter into the _very cold_ milk/buttermilk - the chilled liquid causes the butter to recoag into small pieces that do the same as pea sized chilled butter. (tip source - cooks country).

One-Pot Chicken With Pearl Couscous and Preserved Lemon

One-Pot Chicken With Pearl Couscous and Preserved Lemon

Nigella Lawson has mastered the art of creating recipes that balance comfort and appeal — especially when chicken is involved. This recipe, adapted from my cookbook, “Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share With People You Love” (Random House, 2025), is a play on her essential one-pot chicken with orzo. It’s a do-it-all dish that’ll make you feel both satisfied and cared for, whether you prefer dark or white meat; the sweetness of Medjool dates or the funk, salt and acid of preserved lemon; an abundance of braising juices or the playful chewiness of pearl couscous.

Yield:4 to 6 servings

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2½ cups pearl couscous

1 whole chicken (3½ to 4 pounds), salted in advance (see Tip)

6 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

1 large onion, diced

2 tablespoons ground cumin

6 tablespoons puréed or finely chopped store-bought preserved lemons

12 Medjool dates, pitted and torn in half

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Finely chopped cilantro or parsley, for garnish

Set a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When it shimmers, add the couscous. Cook, stirring constantly, until toasted and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer the couscous to a bowl and set aside.

Return the pot to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. When it shimmers, carefully lay in the chicken, breast-side down, and cook until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Use tongs to carefully remove the chicken to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic, onion and cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are just starting to grow tender, about 6 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pot, breast-side up. Add 2 cups water and the preserved lemon, and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover tightly with a lid. Cook until the chicken thigh is tender at the bone, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Uncover the pot and stir in the couscous and dates. Taste the broth—it should be flavorful and highly seasoned. If needed, adjust the seasoning with salt (I’ve never needed to add more salt at this point, but your preserved lemon paste may not be as salty as mine). Cover and cook at a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the couscous is al dente, about 15 minutes. Leave the pot covered off the heat for another 10 to 15 minutes—the couscous will continue absorbing the broth and finish cooking, and the chicken will rest during this time.

Remove the chicken to carve it. Stir the lemon zest and juice into the couscous, and adjust the seasoning with salt as needed. Return the carved chicken to the pot and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot.

Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. Add a little water and, stirring, gently return to a boil to reheat.

Tip: When possible, season chicken in advance of cooking so that salt has time to penetrate, enhance flavor, and — if done early enough — tenderize. In terms of timing, any time is better than none, and more is better than some, up to about 48 hours, after which a chicken will begin to cure. The true sweet spot — when you can manage it — is the night before you plan to cook. But seasoning in the morning, or even the afternoon, will yield a better chicken than no time at all. I like to do it as soon as I get home from the grocery store, so I don't have to think about it again. And if you're monitoring your salt intake, remember: Seasoning with a smaller amount of salt in advance will make a larger impact than a large amount applied just before cooking or serving.

Tangy Tzatziki

Tangy Tzatziki

Inspired by the tzatziki served at Sto Kastro, a Greek restaurant in Germersheim, Germany, this thicker, fluffier iteration of the sauce lets the pairing of cucumber and yogurt shine. The main technique here is to really squeeze the liquid out of both the cucumbers and the yogurt, which results in tzatziki that’s both creamy and almost fluffy. A second trick, from the cookbook author Suzy Karadsheh, is to use distilled white vinegar instead of lemon juice. The vinegar’s straightforward acidity delivers the best of the cucumber and yogurt. This cool, creamy mix tastes fantastic when spread on warm pita bread and crackers or used as a dip for chips and fresh crunchy vegetables.

Yield: 2 cups

1 garlic clove, finely grated

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar, plus more to taste

2 cups/16 ounces plain, full-fat Greek yogurt

3 to 4 mini cucumbers (about 8 ounces), cut into large chunks

Salt

In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic and vinegar and set aside to mellow.

On a flat surface, lay a clean kitchen towel flat. Add the yogurt to the center of the towel, then bring the four corners together and twist to create a tight bundle of the yogurt. Place in a small bowl and set aside.

In a food processor or blender, coarsely chop the cucumbers with a pinch of salt so they’re still chunky and not soup. Transfer to another clean kitchen towel and bundle like the yogurt. Over the sink and using your hands, squeeze as much of the excess liquid out of the cucumbers as you can. Then, do the same with the yogurt bundle (you’ll be surprised how much water can come out of both).

Transfer the yogurt and cucumbers to the bowl with the garlic and vinegar. Season generously with salt, then mix to combine. Taste and add more salt and vinegar to taste. Stored in an airtight container, this keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week.

TIP: For the yogurt- Try using an unbleached coffee filter in a colander over a bowl or use a coffee filter with the plastic funnel for pour over coffee and place this in the center of a pasta bowl. This is so much easier to clean up! You can just set it in the fridge. It goes really fast.

Smashed Chicken Meatballs with Suya and Charred Corn

Smashed Chicken Meatballs with Suya and Charred Corn

The earthy, robust notes of suya spice taste best when paired with a protein seared over high heat. Here, it marinates ground chicken along with fresh chile, ginger and garlic, and seasons a peanut dressing that’s drizzled over the meatballs. To keep lean chicken juicy while it cooks, miso and chopped spinach are stirred into the meat and the mixture is loosely formed into balls with a spoon. The deeply seared meatballs are smashed and give the entire dish a lovely brown hue, along with charred corn. A topping of herbs adds freshness to the hearty meal served over rice.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

½ cup unsweetened creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons suya spice (see Tips), plus more for sprinkling

2 teaspoons white or red miso, divided

Salt

1 tablespoon honey

Zest and juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for serving

1 pound ground chicken or turkey

1 (10-ounce) package chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and excess liquid squeezed out

1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, seeded for mild if desired, chopped

1 (1-inch) piece ginger, finely grated 

2 garlic cloves, finely grated

4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 to 3 ears) or thawed frozen kernels 

1 (5-ounce) box baby kale

½ cup fresh cilantro and mint leaves, chopped

Rice, for serving

In a small bowl, whisk the peanut butter, 1 tablespoon suya spice, 1 teaspoon miso and ½ cup water until smooth; taste and season with salt if necessary. Transfer 2 tablespoons to a medium bowl. To the sauce remaining in the small bowl, add the honey and the lime zest and juice; whisk until smooth. The finished sauce should run easily off a spoon. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water if needed and season to taste with salt. 

To the medium bowl, add the chicken, spinach, chile, ginger, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons suya spice, remaining 1 teaspoon miso and 1 teaspoon salt. Using your hands, mix well to combine. 

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet (or other large heavy-bottomed pan) over medium-high. Once the oil is very hot, add the meat in heaping irregular chunks by scooping it with a large spoon or your hands and carefully dropping it into the skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until dark brown underneath and crisp around the edges, about 5 minutes.

Flip the meatballs and use a wooden spoon to smash the meat, breaking up any very large pieces. Move the meatballs to one side of the skillet, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil then the corn to the other side. Cook without stirring until corn is light brown in spots and meat is fully cooked, about 3 minutes. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Spread the greens on a large serving platter and top with the crispy meat and corn. Sprinkle generously with more suya spice. Drizzle with the peanut sauce and top with herbs. Serve immediately with lime wedges and rice.

Tip: To make about ¼ cup suya spice, combine ¼ cup toasted peanuts, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt in a spice grinder. Pulse to blend into a fine powder. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.

Chile-Crisp Chickpea Rice Bowls

Chile-Crisp Chickpea Rice Bowls

These rice bowls are both a comfort and a thrill to eat. They star chickpeas sizzled in chile crisp, a Chinese condiment made of oil, chiles and a variety of textural and umami-packed ingredients, such as fried shallots and garlic, sesame seeds, and preserved black beans. You could snack on the electrifyingly tingly chickpeas solo, or make them into a meal with rice and a juicy mixture of tomatoes, celery, cilantro and soy sauce. You can swap out the celery for other crunchy vegetables, like bok choy, cucumbers or snap peas, but keep the tomatoes; their sweetness provides reprieve from the spicy chickpeas.

Yield: 4 servings

1½ cups sushi rice (short-grain white rice), rinsed until water runs clear

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

¼ cup store-bought or homemade chile crisp, plus more for serving

Neutral oil (such as grapeseed), as needed

3 cups cooked, rinsed chickpeas (homemade or from two 15-ounce cans)

Granulated sugar, to taste

1 pint (8 to 10 ounces) cherry or other small tomatoes, halved

4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped, plus any leaves

¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and stems

2 tablespoons soy sauce

In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rice rest, covered, until ready to eat. (Alternatively, cook rice in a rice cooker or however you like to cook rice.)

While the rice cooks, make the chickpeas: Add the chile crisp to a large (12-inch), nonstick skillet and heat over medium. (Make sure there is enough oil — not just solids — covering the bottom of the skillet. If your chile oil is mostly solids, add a little neutral oil to cover to skillet.)

Add the chickpeas and a pinch of sugar, stir to coat in the oil, then spread into an even layer. Cook until the chickpeas start to sizzle, 2 to 3 minutes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp all over, 7 to 10 minutes more. If the pan looks dry at any point, add a drizzle of neutral oil (or more chile crisp if you want it really, really spicy).

While the chickpeas and rice cook, stir together the tomatoes, celery, celery leaves, cilantro, soy sauce and a pinch of sugar in a medium bowl.

When the rice and chickpeas are ready, divide the rice among plates or bowls. Pour some of the liquid from the bowl of tomatoes over the rice, then top with the tomatoes and celery, the chickpeas and more chile crisp, if desired.

Chile Crisp

Chile Crisp

There’s just enough oil to slick all the crispy bits of chile, onion and sesame in this version of the spicy Chinese condiment, so it delivers as much crunch as it does salty, sweet, nutty heat. Dried minced onion from the supermarket spice aisle is a shortcut for the usual step of frying fresh minced onion, and it improves the crispness, too. You can experiment by mixing the hot and fruity flavors of different dried chile varieties, crushing them into flaky bits, or stick with ready-to-add red-pepper flakes. No matter what you use, this blend adds a little excitement to everything.

Yield: About 1¼ cups

½ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup dried minced onion

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

⅓ cup finely crushed dried small red chiles or red-pepper flakes

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

1 teaspoon coarsely ground Sichuan peppercorns (optional)

Combine the oil, onion, ½ teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes evenly golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the chiles, sesame seeds and Sichuan peppercorns, if using, and sizzle, stirring, for 1 minute, then stir in the remaining ½ teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Use immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Spoon over everything. It adds big flavor to milder bases, such as eggs, tofu, noodles, rice, vegetables, white fish, lean pork and chicken breast.