Stir-fried frozen broccoli with tofu. I used some dried Thai basil from my garden to add an exotic garnish to what would otherwise be a rather depressing meal with college dorm associations. The Thai basil gives you the flavor of the unexpected and breaks any taste habits you might have acquired from Western cooking. I was too lazy to use Thai chiles so I sprinkled the stir fry with red pepper flakes, certainly a blunt instrument when it comes to adding heat, but when used sparingly they didn’t take over the whole thing.

(Photo: El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico.)

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