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3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Wipe the spice blend from the salmon with paper towels. Let the fish stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

4. Arrange half of the orange and lemon slices in a single layer in a large roasting pan; place the salmon, skin side down, on top. Rub oil all over salmon. Roast until cooked through, about 17 minutes.

5. Cut the salmon crosswise into 8 pieces. Divide the pea sauce among serving plates. Place a piece of salmon on each plate, and garnish with pea shoots and the remaining orange and lemon slices.

spring pea sauce

MAKES ¾ CUP

You can make this sauce with thawed frozen peas instead of fresh, in which case they don’t need to be blanched. The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Reheat over medium-low heat, adding water to thin, if necessary.

Coarse salt

11/3 cups shelled fresh peas

1 cup loosely packed watercress (1 ounce)

4 teaspoons cold unsalted butter

1. Prepare an ice-water bath; set aside. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil; add salt. Blanch the peas and watercress until bright green, about 45 seconds. Immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to the ice-water bath to stop the cooking.

2. Drain the peas and watercress, then puree in a blender until smooth, adding 4 to 5 tablespoons water to thin (mixture should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon). Pass the puree through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Place over low heat, and whisk in the butter, 1 teaspoon at a time; whisk until emulsified. Season the sauce with salt.

chinese-style steamed sea bass with vegetables

SERVES 2

1 whole sea bass (2 pounds), cleaned

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 thin slices peeled fresh ginger, plus 2 teaspoons grated ginger

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

10 sprigs cilantro, plus 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped for garnish

3½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1½ pounds baby bok choy, white stems cut crosswise into ¾-inch-thick pieces and leaves discarded

10 small shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced ¼ inch thick

7 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

2½ tablespoons soy sauce

2½ tablespoons rice-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine) or packed brown sugar

1. Rinse the fish thoroughly under cold running water; remove any debris from the cavity with a spoon; pat dry. Season the cavity with salt and pepper; stuff with the ginger slices, 4 slices garlic, and the cilantro sprigs. Rub the fish with 1½ tablespoons sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Put the bok choy, mushrooms, two-thirds of the scallions, the remaining garlic, the grated ginger, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Season with pepper, and toss.

3. Transfer half of the bok choy mixture to a 9 × 13-inch baking pan; place the fish on top. Top with the remaining bok choy mixture. Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, mirin, and ¼ teaspoon salt; drizzle over the fish. Tightly cover the pan with foil.

4. Pour water to a depth of ¼ inch in another 9 × 13-inch baking pan; bring to a boil on top of the stove. Reduce heat; let simmer. Set the pan with the fish on top; steam until cooked through, 16 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter; garnish with the remaining scallions and chopped cilantro. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil.

malaysian shrimp curry

SERVES 4 TO 6

2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

8 whole black peppercorns

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 piece (2 inches) peeled fresh ginger, sliced

6 garlic cloves, sliced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, very finely chopped

1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk

1¼ teaspoons coarse salt

1½ teaspoons tamarind concentrate (or lemon juice)

1½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left intact

½ cup fresh Thai or regular basil leaves

6 cups cooked basmati rice, for serving

1. Finely grind the coriander, cumin, and peppercorns