Name: Steamed Catfish in Banana Leaves
Yield: Makes 8 servings (as part of larger meal)
Ingredients: 1 lb banana leaves, thawed if frozen (see cooks' note, below); 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste; 3 tablespoons Thai chicken stock or canned chicken broth; 2 tablespoons nam pla (Asian fish sauce; preferably Thai); 1 1/2 lb catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch cubes; 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted rice powder; 3 (4-inch-long) fresh or frozen Kaffir lime leaves (sometimes called bai makroot), very thinly sliced; a large (6-qt) wok with lid; a heatproof plate (just small enough to fit inside steamer rack); a large steamer rack

Steamed Catfish in Banana LeavesGEORGE WHITESIDE

Hor Neung Pla Duk

Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 21/4 hr

Cooks' notes:

• Fish packets can be steamed 30 minutes ahead. • You can substitute 8 large collard leaves for the banana leaves. Trim stems flush with leaves, then put leaves on pieces of foil cut to size. Mound fish curry on leaves, then fold up leaves and wrap packets in foil to catch any juices. Tie packets closed with kitchen string for steaming.

Recipe notes

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Crème Anglaise

The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Okonomiyaki Tater Tots

Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.