Seafood Dinner

One useful thing to be able to do in the kitchen is prepare several dishes at once. A few simple side dishes can add extra flavors and textures to meal, creating a more satisfying (and often more nutritious) meal. The trick is to be able to use time efficiently in preparing and cooking ingredients. This dinner consists of crispy baked cod, aromatic steamed shrimp, grilled corn, and caramelized fennel.

Sweet and Sour Eggplant Curry

Here's another way to do eggplant. This is similar to a vegetable curry, but includes tamarind, which gives it a  sweet and tangy taste.

Yuanyang Grilled Potatoes

This dish is from the great book Beyond the Great Wall: Recipes and Travels in Other China. Many of the recipes are super simple, including this one.