Side Dish

Corn, avocado and bean salad

Creamy, crunchy, tangy, sweet, hot and herb-y, this corn and bean salad (it has avocado, pineapple and chili too!) has it all. The perfect side dish for meat, poultry or seafood.

Cook time: 0

Servings: 3 people

Pan-grilled eggplant with sweet chili sauce

Sweet, spicy and salty with the incomparable rich flavor of fermented fish sauce, this eggplant dish can be served as a side to meat, poultry or seafood, or as a main dish for non-meat eaters.

Cook time: 7

Servings: 1 person

Grilled skewered shiitake, bell pepper and tomato

Whole caps of shiitake, chunks of bell pepper and diced tomatoes are tossed in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper (yes, essentially a salad dressing), skewered and grilled over charcoal.

Too plain? The smoky flavor and aroma will surprise you.

Cook time: 5

Servings: 3 people

Japanese-style shiitake and green beans stir fry

Sweet, salty and full of umami. It's a side dish for omnivores, a main dish for non-meat eaters and a keto dieter's delight. That's just some of the ways to appreciate this dish.

Cook time: 5

Servings: 1 person

Soy sauce eggs (shoyu tamago)

Boiled eggs soaked in soy sauce, mirin and rice vinegar served as a snack, as a topping for congee and ramen, or as one of the many dishes in a bento box.

Cook time: 0

Servings: 4 eggs

Cajun dirty rice

The “dirty” look comes from a combination of sausage fat, Cajun seasoning and chopped chicken livers. But unsanitary, Cajun rice is not. It is tasty beyond words.

Cook time: 15

Servings: 4 people

Mango and avocado salsa

Sweet, tangy, spicy and deliciously creamy, I made this salsa on a terribly humid summer day and served it with tortilla chips for a mid-afternoon snack.

Cook time: 0

Servings: 3 cups

Lychee and mango salad

When raw greens are combined with fruits and nuts, a salad becomes edible. Lovable even. Yep, just like this lychee and mango salad with honey-mustard dressing.

Cook time: 2

Servings: 2 people