TANDOORI CHICKEN WITH TOMATO SALAD

PG TESTED

If you don't have a spice mill, which is a coffee grinder that you use only for spices, you can grind the toasted whole spices with a mortar and pestle or pound them with the bottom of a heavy pot. Or use already ground spices and toast those.

-- Miriam Rubin

• 2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds (lightly smash papery husks of whole cardamom and pick out the dark seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup whole-milk yogurt or Greek yogurt
• 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter, see below)
• Tomato Salad (recipe follows)

For the chicken

Make four 1/2-inch slashes in chicken pieces so marinade can penetrate. Rub chicken with lemon juice and salt, pushing it down into slashes. Let marinate while assembling other ingredients.

In small skillet over medium-high heat, toast coriander, cumin and cardamom until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Grind in a spice grinder.

In large bowl, combine spice mixture, cayenne, yogurt, ginger and garlic. Add chicken; cover with plastic and refrigerate 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Remove chicken from marinade and wipe dry. Arrange on wire rack placed over shallow roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Brush with ghee. Roast 35 to 40 minutes, or until 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer and juices run clear. Remove from oven; let sit 5 minutes to allow juices to settle. Serve hot with Tomato Salad.

Makes 6 servings.

For the Tomato Salad

• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 serrano chile, minced
• 1 medium onion (I used a red onion), finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, if you like, and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

In large bowl, combine lime juice, sugar, and salt; let stand 10 minutes to dissolve.

Add chile, onion, tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro. Toss to mix well. Refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.

Makes about 2 cups.

To make ghee

Melt 1 stick unsalted butter in a heavy small saucepan over low heat. When it begins to spit and pop, watch carefully so it doesn't burn. The idea is to cook out the water and brown the milk solids so they sink to the bottom of the pan, which should take about 10 minutes. The top will look foamy. Tilt the pan, and when the bottom is golden, remove from heat. Skim off the foam, then ladle off the clear yellow fat, which is ghee.

-- Adapted from "The Take-Out Menu Cookbook" by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds

SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS WITH CHILE SAUCE

PG TESTED

These were time-consuming but absolutely addictive and completely delicious. They can be assembled and kept in a single layer on a baking sheet, covered, and refrigerated up to 8 hours. The cooked rolls may be kept hot in a 200-degree oven up to 1 hour, but you'll gobble them up before that.

-- Miriam Rubin

For the chili sauce:

• 1 cup sweet chile sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and minced

For the spring rolls:

• 1 1/4 pounds raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (Carla always adds more)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts, coarsely chopped
• 15 (10-inch) egg roll wrappers, each cut into 4 even squares (see tester's note)
• About 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

To make the chile sauce:

Stir chile sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, and serrano chile in bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

To make spring rolls:

Combine shrimp, cilantro, and salt in food processor. Pulse until mixture is chopped to 1/2-inch pieces, about 8 pulses. Pour into large bowl; stir in bean spouts.

Lay an egg roll wrapper square on work surface with a point facing you. Keep remaining wrappers covered with plastic wrap. Arrange rounded teaspoon of shrimp filling across center of wrapper. Fold up the point end to cover filling, and fold in the pointed sides to enclose the filling. Roll wrapper around filling as tightly as possible. Dip a finger in some water and run it along the open pointed end and sides of wrapper Continue to roll tightly and seal the egg roll.

Transfer roll, seam side down, to parchment-lined baking sheet. Continue with remaining filling and wrappers.

Heat 2 inches oil in a heavy, deep saucepan over medium-high heat until hot (360 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer). Fry 4 or 5 spring rolls until deep golden, about 1 minute, and turn to fry the other side, 1 minute more. (Cut one open to make sure shrimp are cooked.) Transfer to paper towels to drain. Fry remaining rolls in same manner.

Serve hot with chile sauce.

Makes about 60 mini rolls.

Tester's note: I couldn't find 10-inch egg-roll wrappers. The more common size is about 8 inches. So I bought 8-inch wrappers and cut them into sixty 5-inch squares, which took less time than you would think.

-- Adapted from "The Take-Out Menu Cookbook" by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds

HOT-AND-SOUR SOUP

PG TESTED

This soup can be made up to the cornstarch addition up to 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated. To finish, reheat over medium-high heat. Once it reaches a simmer, resume the recipe. Any leftovers may be reheated, but don't let the soup come to a hard boil.

-- Miriam Rubin

• 6 dried Chinese mushrooms (shiitake are fine), see tester's note
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 cup chopped bamboo shoots
• 4 ounces pork tenderloin or chicken breast (about 1 chicken-breast half), cut into thin strips
• 1 cup diced firm tofu
• 3 to 4 tablespoons cider vinegar (use smaller amount first)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted Asian sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Soak mushrooms in 1/3 cup boiling water 15 minutes. With slotted spoon, lift mushrooms from liquid; set aside. Strain liquid though coffee filter-lined strainer to remove the grit; set aside. Discard tough stems from mushrooms; squeeze mushrooms dry. Cut into thin slices.

Pour mushroom liquid and chicken stock into large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and meat. Bring to a simmer; add tofu, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili sauce. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings to taste.

Stir cornstarch mixture and add to simmering soup. Cook and stir 2 minutes to thicken soup. Drizzle in the egg while the soup is simmering gently; do not boil.

Serve hot, garnished with green onions.

Makes 4 generous servings.

Tester's note: I used a 1-ounce package of dried sliced shiitakes and soaked them in 1 cup boiling water. After soaking, I pulled off the tough stems.

-- Adapted from "The Take-Out Menu Cookbook" by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds