Seashore mussels are stewed in a simple but exotic broth of coconut milk, lime, cilantro, lemongrass, and chilies. Spooned over rice noodles, there is nothing better than this easy, exotic one-pot classic. More

I've been on a little lemongrass kick lately, so I was excited about this recipe from Andrea Nguyen's Into the Vietnamese Kitchen from the very beginning, even if the title made it sound relatively straightforward. But something happens during he cooking process to those innocent looking chicken hunks, because by the end they start tasting an awful lot like glistening bits of fatty pork. Which is to say, they start tasting really, really good. More

This five-minute stir-fry is full of the sort of punchy, sour flavors that you'd find in a bowl of tom yum soup. Matchsticks of ginger and rounds of lemongrass are browned with scallions and chiles. The shrimp are thrown in with a mix of fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. It's ideal for those evenings when you're craving something a bit out of the ordinary, flavor-wise but don't really feel like spending an hour-plus on it. On the table in just about 20 minutes and served with a bowl of steamed rice, these prawns will beat the pants off Thai takeout any day. More

I'll be honest and admit that, at first glance, this soup from Epicurious looks pretty dull. The dominant color is white, with only a few pink shrimp peeking through the surface—but this isn't just any old broth. The shells of the shrimp are removed, but not discarded. Instead they're simmered with lemongrass, cilantro, and water, making for a truly fragrant base. The addition of lime and fish sauce adds a bit of balance and a lot of complexity. More

Curry leaves are an integral part of Indian and Sri Lankan cooking, but they can be something of a challenge to locate. For those of us who don't have regular access to these fragrant leaves, Madhur Jaffrey has provided an easy alternative in her latest cookbook, At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: basil. More

"The final color will depend on what kind of chiles you use." [Photograph: Nick Kindelsperger] I love big holiday meals as much as the next guy—pass the mashed potatoes and macoroni and cheese please!—but that's just not the way I... More