Fresno Chile

Sambal Serai Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from James Oseland's book Cradle of Flavor: Home Cooking from the Spice Islands of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. It originally accompanied Javanese Chicken Curry and Beef Satay and was part of an article by Oseland on Indonesian cuisine. This gorgeous-tasting, easy-to-make raw sambal originated in Bali. Try to find the freshest, most flavorful lemongrass you can when making it—your best bet may be in deep summer at a farmers' market that serves a substantial Asian community, where you're likely to find impeccably fresh, organic lemongrass.

Matt McMillan, Big Bowl's executive chef, threw together these items for his lunch one day. We ran it as a special the next week. It's simple and delicious.

Subtly sweet and extra crunchy Asian pears star in this bright salad you’ll want alongside every rich and meaty dish you’re serving this holiday season.

Tingly, salty, and irresistibly crunchy, this salt-and-pepper shrimp with cubes of crispy polenta (yes, from those tubes!) is a weeknight MVP.

This fast stir-fry dish pairs minced pork and fragrant basil with hot Thai chiles and a crispy fried egg.

Creamy roasted Japanese eggplant meets its delightfully textured match in this riff on Mexican salsa macha, made with cashews, garlic, and fresh Fresno chiles.

Summer means spicy, savory fruit salads made with whatever fresh produce you’ve got, plus lime juice, sugar, fish sauce, dried shrimp, and lots of red chiles.

Refreshing gazpacho gets the salty-spicy nuoc cham treatment in this twist on the warm weather soup. Sesame oil provides nutty balance and helps curb the heat.

Toss tomatoes in a simple preserved lemon, soy sauce, and chile marinade while you sear a well-marbled steak for a dinner for two in no time.

Go ahead, have a whole slab of cheese for dinner. Coated in za’atar and sesame seeds and seared in hot oil, blocks of feta go crunchy on top and soft within.

Thanks to a little tomato paste, Viet-style chile sauce is sweeter, fruitier, and friendlier than the fiery sriracha found in Viet American restaurants. 

A fiery, flavor-packed piri-piri sauce grounds this quick-cooking chicken and kale stew. Serve with fried toasts to mop up all the juices. 

The classic pairing of pork and apples, reimagined as a weeknight meal. A salad packed with sliced apples and pickled chiles balances simple, saucy pork chops.

Spicy, salty, sweet, and crunchy—this Thai-inspired mango salad is exactly what you’re craving in the summer.

Crispy, toasty, and spicy, this quick coconut-chile crunch topping turns a simple salad into a whole lot of fun.

We did away with the worst part of roasting squash—the prep! Instead, we roast it whole until tender, tear it into big pieces, glaze it, and roast it again.

Meatballs filled with gooey cheese and bathed in creamy pecan romesco sauce—what more do you need?

A summer-inspired take on Thai sweet chili sauce with fresh peaches pairs perfectly with simply grilled scallops for an easy appetizer.

Juicy summer melon with a salty-sweet crunchy bacon topping makes for a low-effort but universally crowd-pleasing appetizer.

If you love the sour-salty-sweet Thai green papaya salad, you’ll love this peak-summer version made with tomatoes and cucumbers.