Paella, Spain’s most famous dish is undoubtedly one of the world’s great rice dishes. The first time I saw a traditional paella pan, I thought it was a particularly shallow flat-bottomed wok. That got me thinking about how a Chinese cook would prepare the same dish. The result is this East-West hybrid that works especially well in an electric wok.

No doubt about it, we are definitely getting cornier. Pressed tofu is made by pressing tofu in a dark, savory marinade, and it can be found in most Asian and health-food markets. Originally a Western import, corn has found a place at the Chinese dining table, like other New World veggies, such as tomatoes and eggplants. These days, corn is cultivated and consumed regularly in many parts of China and complements pressed tofu.