* 3 eggplants
* salt
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1 knob ginger, peeled
* 8 spring onions
* peanut oil (or vegetable oil) for shallow frying
* 300g pork mince
* 2 tbsp chilli bean paste
* 4 tbsp soy sauce
* 5 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (or substitute dry sherry)
* 1 tsp sesame oil
* 4 tbsp sugar
* 1/4 cup water
garlic, ginger, pork, soy

Dressing
1 1/4 cups boiling water
3 tea bags of Chinese black tea
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup chopped watercress
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

Beef
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1 1/4- to 1 1/2-pound top sirloin steak, cut crosswise into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices; slices then cut into 3-inch strips

Salad
3/4 pound linguine
1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
2 12-ounce cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded
8 large green onions, halved lengthwise, cut on diagonal into 1-inch lengths
1 bunch fresh mint
1 bunch watercress
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Lime wedges
soy, ginger, beef

9 ounces ground chicken breast meat
9 ounces ground chicken leg meat
2 large green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sansho powder
1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
16 10-inch bamboo skewers, soaked 1 hour in water

2 tablespoons mirin
Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice seasoning)

soy, glazed, chicken