Deep Fry

Your guests will still be talking about these zingy, crunchy bites long after the party's over. A combination of tender rice, melting Cheddar, and a crisp bread-crumb shell, paired with a spicy vinegar dipping sauce that cuts right through the richness, these irresistible nibbles will disappear almost before you finish frying. It might seem a little unusual to cook the rice in a combination of water and milk, but it imparts a luxurious creaminess that makes the fritters all the more addictive.

Asian ingredients update this Italian appetizer. Specialty foods stores and Asian markets carry ponzu.

A V-slicer— sold at some supermarkets and most cookware stores—makes quick work of slicing the potatoes very thinly. Serve these alongside Martinis.

Use a mandoline to quickly make thin, even plantain slices.

Instant Party: Crispy fish tacos, pickled onions and jalapeños, lime cream, salsa verde, and guacamole — it all adds up to one fun party. Set everything out, and let everyone assemble their own.

East meets West in this dessert version of the spring roll.

Truffle oil and minced black truffles make this appetizer anything but kid food.

Using a freshly made ricotta makes all the difference in these delicious fried morsels.

For the Mediterranean's Sephardic Jews, sweet fried pastries are as strong a tradition as potato latkes are for Eastern Europe's Ashkenazic Jews. The version here is distinctive for the addition of raisins and pine nuts, inspired by a Roman recipe.

Egg whites give these quick, cheesy nibbles their exceptionally light texture. Bite-size portions make them the perfect mouth-popping accompaniment to an aperitif.

This recipe brings smoky paprika and a jolt of briny capers to fish and chips.

(Ground Beef Patties) My son Samir loves shami kebabs with pooris (deep-fried wheat bread). They are also very tasty with basmati rice and raita (yogurt sauce).

(Deep-Fried Pastry Stuffed with Spicy Potatoes)

Serve the carnitas with mashed sweet potatoes, mixed baby greens, or rolled up in warm tortillas with salsa, chopped onions, and cilantro. Berkshire pork lends the best flavor, but a regular pork butt or shoulder is also delicious. Be sure to keep the oil at moderate heat, which will cook the pork perfectly without overbrowning.

Here, something savory becomes addictively sweet and salty. The confectioners sugar helps brown the eggplant, and panko adds crunch.

Yuquitas a la Huancaína
Think of this as the Peruvian answer to fries and ketchup. While huancaína sauce is usually served over sliced potatoes with boiled eggs and olives, Guillermo Payet finds it a great accompaniment to fried yuca, the potato-like root vegetable.

Fatty pork is the standout ingredient in these crisp spring rolls; it adds intense flavor and a tender texture to the crab and vegetable filling. Fresh ginger and a generous amount of cilantro add kick.