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Thai fishcakes (often called ‘tod mun pla’ on menus) are known for their spongy consistency, which I’m not fond of; that sponginess comes from the egg, so I tend to leave it out. Fishcakes are usually deep-fried in street stalls and restaurants, but I find it much easier to shallow-fry them. These are great served with sweet chilli sauce, Thai seafood dipping sauce and/or cucumber and chilli relish.
The eight-day Passover diet rests on matzo, and matzo brei is the dish that turns yesterday's plain matzo crackers into a proper hot breakfast. Pieces of matzo go briefly under warm water until they soften (but don't disintegrate), then drain. They get folded into beaten salted eggs, sit a minute so the matzo drinks in the egg, and then go into hot foaming butter. Two finishes: cook flat as a thick pancake and flip, or break up and scramble. Eaten immediately with whichever topping the household votes for.
Short-grain Japanese rice (sushi rice) is rinsed several times until the water runs clear, then cooked with slightly less water than for regular rice (so each grain stays separate-but-sticky). Cooled slightly to warm (not hot, hands burn; not cold, rice doesn't compress). Filling options prepare: umeboshi (sour pickled plum, sold whole or paste); salt-grilled salmon flaked; tinned tuna mixed with mayo and a pinch of soy. Hands wet with water, dust with salt, take a generous handful of rice, press a thumb-dent in the centre, drop a teaspoon of filling, fold the rice over to enclose, press into a triangular shape with the palms. Wrap each ball with a small strip of nori at the base.
Yeasted buckwheat batter rises briefly, then dollops of it cook into small fluffy pancakes on a flat pan. Topped with a small spoon of crème fraîche, a curl of smoked salmon, dill, lemon zest, and a tiny grind of pepper. Perfect with cold champagne.