Cilantro

In the state of Yucatán in southeastern Mexico, lime soup is served on even the hottest days. The fresh taste of the cilantro and the sourness of the lime combine to give the soup plenty of zing.

Sprinkle shredded cheddar over some tortilla chips, and pop them under the broiler for a minute-you'll have instant first-course nachos. All you need with the salad is a basket of tortillas or crusty bread. Mix some cinnamon into chocolate pudding to wrap up this Mexican-style dinner. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An adaptation of a recipe from Mexican Light Cooking by our friend Kathi Long, a chef and author in Santa Fe.

Wrapped foods, such as the Vietnamese spring roll, the Filipino lumpia and the Chinese egg roll, have a long history in Asian cooking and are hot items right now all across America. The lime juice, ginger, cilantro, cucumber and mint in this recipe are found in the cuisines of all Southeast Asian countries. Round out this dinner with hot or iced jasmine tea and cold Thai beer.

This clever combination of tastes and textures features hominy, cilantro, jicama, jalapeños, lime juice and cumin.

This crispy chicken is accented with ginger and sesame oil, and served with a simple dipping sauce of soy, cilantro, green onions and ginger. Wrap the chicken in foil, and store the sauce and slaw in plastic containers; be sure to add a cold pack or two to the picnic basket. Fill a thermos with limeade, or bring along a cooler of your favorite beers.

If you thought you couldn't cook Thai food at home, this colorful and slightly spicy curry-a bit of a cross between a soup and a stew-will change your mind. It's a cinch to whip up after work and intriguing enough to impress your friends. Begin dinner with frozen egg rolls or take-out ones from a Chinese restaurant, and finish things off with ice cream or sorbet topped with chopped tropical fruit. GewÜrztraminer or Thai beer complements the menu nicely.

Serve with: Shredded lettuce and radishes tossed with lemon vinaigrette, and Spanish rice. Dessert: Lime sherbet.

Pho, the Vietnamese noodle soup, is traditionally made with long-cooked beef stock. Our quick version calls for deli sliced beef and canned beef broth instead.<

This recipe can be made in 45 minutes or less.

Green curry paste (a blend of green chilies, garlic, onion, and spices) adds explosive flavor to these one-biters. You'll need a miniature muffin tin to prepare the wonton cups.