Food & Wine’s Justin Chapple dissolves curry powder in boiling water to soak rice noodles and infuse them with excellent flavor. He then sautes the noodles with shrimp, garlic, ginger and plenty of fresh herbs for a bright flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups boiling water
• 2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 8 ounces stir-fry rice noodles
• 3/4 pound shelled and deveined large shrimp 
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 1/4 cup minced peeled ginger
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup each chopped basil and cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1. In a 9-by-9-inch baking dish, mix the boiling water, curry powder and a pinch of salt. Add the noodles. Let stand until softened, 20 minutes. Drain.
2. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Add the shrimp and cook over moderately high heat, turning once, until just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Wipe out the saucepan. Heat the remaining oil in it. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry over moderately high heat until softened, 2 minutes. Add the noodles, shrimp, lime juice and soy and stir-fry until hot, about 3 minutes. Fold in the herbs, scallions and serrano. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with herbs; serve with lime.

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This sweet Persian rice pudding called sholeh zard is made with three distinct ingredients: saffron, cardamom and rosewater. It’s delicate in flavor but so deeply aromatic that it’s hard to stop eating it.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 6 tablespoons Brewed Saffron (see Note)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked
• 2 tablespoons pure rosewater, preferably Sadaf brand (see Note)
• Ground cinnamon and slivered almonds, for garnish

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1. In a large bowl, cover the rice with water. Using your hand, agitate the rice to release the starch, then carefully pour off the water. Rinse the rice 5 to 7 more times, until the water runs clear. Cover the rice with water and refrigerate overnight. Drain, then coarsely crumble with your hands.
2. In a large nonstick saucepan, combine the crumbled rice with 9 cups of water and the salt and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until the rice is softened, about 30 minutes.
3. Stir the sugar, brewed saffron, butter and cardamom into the rice. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice breaks down and the pudding is the texture of loose porridge, 20 to 30 minutes; discard the cardamom pods. Stir in the rosewater. Spoon the pudding into 8 glasses and let cool slightly. Cover the glasses with plastic and refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour.
4. Decorate the puddings with cinnamon and slivered almonds. Let stand at room temperature for 25 minutes before serving.

MAKE AHEAD

The puddings can be refrigerated overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 25 minutes before serving.

NOTES

Using a high-quality, pure rosewater is essential here. Look for Sadaf brand, which is available at kalustyans.com.

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For his tangy and fragrant rice, chef Hugh Acheson makes sofrito, a classic blend of onion, peppers and garlic. He adds even more flavor to the dish with tomatillo, diced tomatoes and cumin.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tomatillo—husked, rinsed and finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• One 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) canned diced green Hatch chiles
• 1/4 cup Basic Chicken Stock (see Note) or low-sodium broth
• Jasmine Rice (see Note) or 3 cups warm cooked white rice
• Chopped cilantro, for garnish

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion, tomatillo, garlic and a generous pinch of salt. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and just starting to brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, chiles and stock and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Transfer the sofrito to a blender or food processor and let cool slightly, then puree until smooth.
2. Wipe out the skillet and cook the sofrito in it over moderate heat, stirring, until hot, about 5 minutes. Gradually fold in the rice and cook just until it is hot and coated in the sofrito, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, garnish with cilantro and serve.

MAKE AHEAD

The sofrito can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 10 days.

NOTES

Basic Chicken Stock

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Jen Pelka of The Riddler in San Francisco makes super crunchy and delicious waffles using Tater Tots. Here she tops the waffles with caviar and smoked salmon, creating a delicious and decadent dish that’s ideal with Champagne.

INGREDIENTS

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 8 cups thawed frozen Tater Tots (32 ounces)
• Flaky sea salt
• 6 tablespoons crème fraîche
• 12 thin slices smoked salmon Dill sprigs, caviar and fresh lemon juice, for serving

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1. Heat an 8-inch waffle iron; preheat the oven to 200°. Grease the waffle iron with nonstick spray. Spread 2 cups of the tots on it; sprinkle with salt. Close and cook on medium high until nearly crisp, about 5 minutes. Open the waffle iron and fill in any holes in the waffle with more tots, then close and cook until golden and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet; keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining tots.
2. Top each warm waffle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of crème fraîche, 3 slices of smoked salmon, a few small sprigs of dill, a dollop of caviar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve immediately.

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