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Sauté the onion in the oil in a medium-sized skillet, until translucent; do not brown.

Add the curry, cumin, ginger, and bay leaf to the onion and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken, the stock, and the salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Serve with hot white rice or rice pilaf, if desired.

SERVES 4. Serving size: 2 heaping tablespoons of curry over 1 cup of rice.

Relishes such as raisins, mango chutney, cashew nuts, or avocado can be offered with the curry.

Teenagers may differ in ethnic, racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds—African American, White American, Asian, Latino, and Native American—but there is one area where they are alike: They all love hot dogs. The flavor of the wiener, the choice or choices of mustard, relish, ketchup, or sauerkraut may vary, but young palates are satisfied with the simple everyday hot dog.

I confess that on certain days, a similar yearning also comes over me, and I can only be satisfied with a loaded hot dog. That said, my palate has had the opportunity to develop some sophistication.

Take, for instance, moo goo gai pan. When my son, Guy, was six, we would often dine at a little Chinese restaurant in San Francisco. Their moo goo gai pan—chicken wings boiled and rolled in a batter with sesame seeds, and fried—was Guy’s favorite, and because he loved it so much, I learned to make it.

I’ve also come to like red tripe, which is tripe cooked with red tomatoes, onion, and garlic and served over steamed white rice. I do make a very good duck liver pâté with truffles, and mustard greens with ham hocks, which can make a person cry for his grandmother, but … back to the hot dog.

When I make a chili, I always put about a quart away in the freezer in half-cup portions. Weeks or months later, long after the chili has first been served, I will get a hot dog bun, a Hebrew National wiener, prick it with a fork, broil it for a few minutes, and split it. Then I heat up the chili, put one half of the split hot dog on the bottom piece of bun, and put one heaping tablespoon of chili on the hot dog. I put away the other half for later. Next, I scatter a teaspoon of diced raw onion onto that concoction, then open an ice-cold beer and pour half of it into an ice-cold mug.

At that moment I will not only not answer the telephone, I will not respond, even if my name is called by someone who knows me well.

Chili Guy

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ cup canola oil or other vegetable oil

1 pound coarse ground round

1⁄3 pound ground pork

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon dried sage

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

2 tablespoons chili powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

One 6-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped into medium pieces

Half an 8-ounce can tomato paste

2 cups beef stock or water

3 teaspoons cornmeal

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (optional)

Steamed rice (optional)

Sauté the onion and garlic in the vegetable oil in a medium-sized heavy pot until translucent.

Add the ground round and pork. Cook until the meat is cooked all the way through, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the oregano, thyme, sage, cardamom, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and cook for 3 more minutes.

Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, and stir until all the ingredients are mixed together well. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Add the beef stock or water, cornmeal, and rinsed pinto beans, if desired, and stir.

Cover and reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour.

SERVES 4 TO 6. Serving size: 1 cup of chili over ½ cup of rice.

This recipe would be sufficient for 4 to 6 hearty diners. It also serves a party very well. If your party is larger, double or triple the recipe as needed. If you have leftovers, let them cool, place in zippered bags, and freeze to be used at a later date (with a hot dog!).

Santa Fe Chili with Meat

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch cubes

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 large