Simple Cooking

Flavor Profile: Spicy, tart, aromatic, salty, umami-rich Try it with: Any Som Tam (Papaya salad and family) and/or Phat Khanaeng (Stir-fried Brussels sprouts). Needs Khao Niaw (Sticky rice). The recipe for steak salad is a classic, but naam tok made with mushrooms is less common. Yet mushrooms are everywhere in Thailand and echo the texture and even the umami-rich flavor of animal flesh. Thailand has a long history of vegetarian food, for strict Buddhists and those celebrating Buddhist holidays. And while I rarely spend time considering the needs of vegetarians, I figured that if I swapped out the fish sauce in the original for thin soy sauce, then they'd have something to eat at Pok Pok.

I love doughnuts, but I really love malasadas. And ever since I visited Hawaii, I got up on this game. One day, a friend of mine showed me how he did it growing up in Oahu: take a pack of the Pillsbury biscuits and fry them, then toss them in sugar. "DUDE!!!!!!" I said. Try it and you'll see. You too will say, "DUDE!!!!!!!!!" and deplete your local grocery store of Pillsbury biscuit dough just to make these.

Cabeza—or beef cheek—tacos are some of the best things this planet has to offer as food. I ate so many of these and other tacos growing up in both L.A. and Orange County that it became part of me and, in a way, prepared me to cook my own tacos. Splash some salsa verde on there, and that's it: SoCal, and especially L.A., on a plate.

You can have almost no money and still have enough to live off this stuff for weeks, months, years. Eat enough and you'll start to look for ways to make it different: add a little more sauce, a little less sauce, cook the noodles less, cook them more, add more water, less water, add an egg, scramble the egg, etc. Me, I've become a freak when it comes to my instant ramen. Don't fuck wit it, don't fuck wit me, let me do my thing. This is how I do my own thing.

This is not your usual garlic-and- oil sauté: Lime pickle brings a spicy and pungent kick.

You'll see fibers running through the cooked steak; make sure to cut across them for tender slices.

No one has to know these moist, chewy, decadent chocolate cookies are totally wheat-free.

Fresh herbs, such as parsley and cilantro, can be subbed for the microgreens.

Adding onion delivers moisture; forming thicker patties prevents them from cooking too fast and drying out. Both steps are key when working with grass-fed ground beef.

Most gluten-free flour mixes rely on rice flour or cornstarch, which can create a gummy texture. But the main ingredient in Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour is garbanzo flour. The muffins we made with it had the best flavor, texture, and color out of all the brands we tried.

No matter how fanatical you are about straining the milk, some sediment will settle as it sits. Shake or stir before using.

Get the pan smoking hot so the fish won't stick. Let it get a good sear on the first side, which will also help it release.

Our no-soak bean recipe is foolproof and ripe for improvisation. Feeling smoky and spicy? Herby and garlicky? Whatever moves you, throw it in and simmer away.

You're going to want to add this gently spiced and meltingly tender fish to your simple weeknight meal rotation.

We can't stress it enough: Pack the mixture as tightly as possible into the loaf pan. This is essential for the slices to hold together when cut.

The batter for these fritter-like cakes is pretty dry, but that's what yields crisp results. Pressing them flat in the pan also helps maximize the crunch factor.

It might look like a lot when the greens are raw, but add them all anyway. They'll quickly wilt down to a silky texture.

If you think mackerel is too fishy, this is the recipe that will change your mind. The fish's assertive, slightly oily character is tempered by the brightness of lemon juice and creamy richness of yogurt.

The salmon absorbs more teriyaki flavor as it sits, making it even better (and breakfast that much quicker) if done in advance.