Deep Fry

This recipe is an accompaniment for Mocha Custards with Buttermilk Doughnuts .

When we were children, we adored zeen doy(sesame balls). The dough is fried until golden brown so it is both crisp and chewy from the glutinous rice flour. It is eaten year-round, but especially for New Year's and for birthday celebrations. As the dough fries, it expands, so the Chinese believe if you eat Sesame Balls your fortunes will expand similarly. The Sweetened Red Bean Paste for the filling can be purchased in a can or homemade. Sesame Balls must be eaten the day they are made. The following day, they can be heated in a 300-degree oven but, like so many foods, they are not nearly as good as when they are fresh. Remember to use glutinous rice flour and not rice flour! My Auntie Lil, who taught me this recipe, says the secret is to never knead the dough and to use cold sugar water.

Called "Uncle Johns" in the Monegasque dialect (or barbajuans), these little fried pouches are filled with pumpkin, leeks, rice, and Parmesan cheese. Like their Italian cousins — the tortelli di zucca from Lombardy — they are prepared like ravioli, but the similarity ends there. The dough, though not a pasta dough, is very thinly rolled and made with olive oil. The barbajuans are fried to a golden crispiness rather than boiled or baked, and they are served with aperitifs rather than as a first course.

This is a big-deal dish. But the numerous steps, all easy, transform the duck into a wonder of subtle spiciness. We had this dish in Xi'an, where five-spice powder in the rub and the dipping salt were lovely touches.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

"One of my favorite restaurants in Providence is Neath's," writes Emily Hughes of Tulsa, Oklahoma. "On my most recent and memorable trip, I had my preferred dessert — chocolate wontons with ginger ice cream. Can you procure this recipe from chef Neath Pal?"

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

Thai spicing brings new flavor to an avocado classic. Add more color by serving this in a large leaf of red cabbage.

There is no fancy skill involved in making these crispy fries, but there is a trick. The potatoes are fried twice. The first time cooks them through and makes them tender. The second time, which can be done hours later just before serving, turns them golden brown and deliciously crisp. You won't need a lot of special equipment, but a few items are essential. If you own an electric deep fryer, you're all set. If not, a 4-quart fryer with a basket insert and a separate deep-fat thermometer is your next choice. In a pinch, use a heavy pot that is at least 5 inches deep, a long-handled fried-food skimmer or very large long-handled slotted spoon, and a deep-fat thermometer. Keep in mind that the older the potato, the better it is for making fries. Never make fries with young potatoes as they have not had time to develop sufficient starch. The size of the fries is a very personal matter. Some people like them very thin and crunchy. Others prefer them quite large so that they can be crispy on the outside and soft in the center. Experiment to find the size you like best. Very thinly cut potato sticks need a shorter frying time, and the thicker ones take a little longer. Note: When frying anything in deep fat, always keep a lid close by. In case of fire, turn off the heat and cover the pan.

It's customary to serve jelly doughnuts at Hanukkah, since they are are fried in oil to symbolize the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days instead of one.

In nineteenth-century America, kichlers or Haman's Ears for Purim Night were small cookies (kichel is cookie in Yiddish), sometimes made from a pound-cake batter, deep-fried in butter, and bathed in sugar syrup flavored with cinnamon and rose water. Notice that butter was used in this age before vegetable shortening. Haman's Ears is also the American name for a kichel, kichelkies, or hazenblosen (blown-up little pants), thin strips of fried dough sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, similar to the Italian bugie served at Carnivale in February. "When I would ask my grandmother how much red wine to use in her kichelkies, she would reply, 'Half and egg shell,'" said Flora Atkin, who enjoys making traditional family recipes for holidays. "She used to say, 'I know my recipe won't die because my granddaughter will carry on the tradition.'" She was right. Before Rosh Hashanah, each year, Mrs. Atkin makes kichelkies on an assembly line with three frying pans going at once.