Papaya

The sweetness of a ripe papaya brings a Caribbean taste to a classic English dessert.

Round out your dinner: Add 1/2 cup cooked wild rice, 1/2 cup steamed spinach; 3/4 cup cream of carrot soup.

A delicious recipe from the eat-right doc Sure, this dish is heavy on the fat, but it's the healthy omega-3 kind found in salmon, says leading health researcher Walter Willett, M.D. The recipe comes from his new book, Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical Guide to Healthy Eating (Simon & Schuster Source).

Kerabu Bok Kwa This fresh, zesty salad cuts through the richness of the heavier main courses. Sambal belacan is a classic Nonya dressing. We've reduced the amount from what would traditionally be used because belacan (shrimp paste) can be rather strong for those who aren't used to it. The paste has a salty fish taste and pungent smell (the odor dissipates once it's added to the dish), but it lends a dimension of flavor very characteristic of Nonya cuisine — were you to eliminate it, you wouldn't really be eating Nonya food. For a more authentic version, use 2 tablespoons belacan and 4 tablespoons lime juice.

The zombie cocktail was invented by Donn Beach in Los Angeles—a tiki drink so strong that drinkers at his Don the Beachcomber restaurant were limited to a maximum of two. 

Made from yuca (pronounced "YOO-ca"), pearl tapioca can be found at Asian markets and specialty foods shops. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Look for Gold or Strawberry papayas. Their sweet flavor complements this tangy crab salad beautifully.

Simply omit the ginger for a classic crème brûlée. A small blowtorch (made for the kitchen) is a useful gadget for caramelizing the sugar topping. You can also broil the custards until the sugar turns dark brown.

There is no oil in this most original salad.

Green papaya salad in all its regional variations - often flavored with pork, beef, or shrimp (as below)-is hugely popular throughout Southeast Asia. The dish is made from unripe Southeast Asian papayas, which have firm white flesh and white seeds. The current popularity of Vietnamese and Thai food in the United States has increased these papayas' availability, although it is still generally limited to Asian markets. Such papayas can grow to the size of cantaloupes or larger and range in shape from oval to round. Look for rock-hard dark green fruit without a trace of pink or yellow blush. If you don't see any, ask (some shopkeepers do not display them). Those who can't find the right kind of papaya might skip the salad or substitute seedless (European) cucumbers despite the repetition with the main course. Those who can find Southeast Asian green papayas will be treated to a salad that our food editors found irresistible.

Try these as appetizers, as a salad (on a bed of greens) or as a light dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.