East meets West: Ming Tsai's curry noodles and more

1. Put the noodles in a medium bowl and fill it with hot water to cover. When the noodles have softened, after about 15 minutes, drain and measure 3 packed cups of noodles. Return the noodles to the bowl and add the lime juice, fish sauce and scallion greens, toss, and set aside.

2. Heat a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is hot, add the scallion whites, ginger, lemongrass, and jalapeño. Sauté, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and cool.

3. Add the pork to the bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix lightly. With wet hands, form 8 oval patties about ½ inch thick. Heat the skillet over medium high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is hot, add the patties and cook until browned, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

4.  Pick 8 nice lettuce cups from a third of the way into your iceberg head. Place 1 piece of lettuce on your work surface. Top with one-eighth of the noodle salad and a patty. Repeat with the remaining lettuce, salad and patties. Transfer to a platter, garnish with the scallion greens and serve.

1. Put the noodles in a large bowl and fill it with hot water to cover. When the noodles have softened, after about 15 minutes for rice vermicelli, 10 minutes for bean threads, drain and set aside.

2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the wok, swirl to coat the pan, and heat over high heat. Add the garlic, ginger and jalapeño and stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the curry powder and onion and stir-fry until softened, about 1 minute. Add another ½ tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Push the onion mixture to one side of the wok and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the other side. When the oil is hot, add the eggs, season with a touch of salt and scramble, stirring, for about 1 minute.

3. Combine the eggs with the onion mixture. Add the bell pepper, tofu and noodles and heat through, tossing, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bean sprouts and vinegar, season with salt and pepper and heat through, tossing, for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter or large bowl and serve.

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place a rack in the middle position. Spray an 8-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Fill a medium saucepan half full of water and place over medium heat. In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chocolates and butter and set aside.

3. In a small saucepan, combine the ¾ cup sugar with ½ cup water and the salt and heat over medium heat just until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture just reaches a simmer, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the sugar mixture over the chocolates and butter and place over the saucepan to melt the chocolate. Stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula to melt it completely.

4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. In a small bowl, combine the 1/3 cup sugar and the cardamom. Gradually whisk the sugar mixture into the eggs and continue whisking to combine well. Drizzle about ½ cup of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, stirring, to temper. Fold in the remaining egg mixture until homogenous. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, place in a larger baking dish and set on the oven rack. Pour enough hot tap water into the larger pan to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.

5. Transfer the cake in the pan to a rack to cool for about 30 minutes. Place a serving plate over the pan, invert, tap the pan a few times to loosen the cake, and unmold. If the cake doesn’t unmold, place the pan over low heat just to warm the pan bottom, then unmold.

6. Using a fine-mesh sieve, sprinkle an even layer of the confectioners’ sugar mixture on the top of the cake and serve.