Spicy sprouts, such as broccoli, arugula, or leek, give sushi rolls a delicate crunch and peppery flavor. A sushi mat makes it easy to wrap the nori and rice tightly around fillings, but it’s not necessary.
For maximum heat, leave the seeds and membranes in the pepper; habanero will be much hotter than serrano. Ever touched your lips or eyes after chopping hot peppers? Avoid those burns by wearing gloves to prevent the pepper's heat from penetrating your skin.
Chef Way Austin's The Mighty Cone food trailer has become famous for its Hot-and-Crunchy Cones: fried chicken coated in an ingenious mix of cornflakes, slivered almonds and sesame seeds, then wrapped in a tortilla with a mango-jalapeño slaw and a spicy ancho "paint."
The firm yet tender texture of scallops makes them an excellent choice for stir-fry recipes. Here, their sweet taste is enhanced with sesame-soy sauce.
Pulled Chicken is simple to make and can be versatile with lots of different dishes. For a Tex-Mex flair, drain and chop a 4-oz. can of pickled jalapenos and stir them into the sauce along with a seeded, chopped chipotle. Use Pulled Chicken in burritos or to top nachos.
These offbeat tuna burgers were loosely inspired by a Thai fried white fish patty called tod man pla. The Thai cucumber salad stands in for pickles. Use sushi-quality tuna so you can serve the burgers medium rare.
