Danny J. Liu

My father owned a Chinese restaurant called the Dragon Pearl when I was growing up in the '80s. On its one outside wall he hand-carved scales and painted a huge green-and-red dragon, his mark. He worked the wok every day like it was effortless, and passed before I was old enough to learn his craft.

So I'm getting it back, one dish at a time.

Our table was never just one thing. Baba brought the wok and the fire. My mom, a French-Irish baker, brought the oven. My wife brought the bold flavors of South Indian cooking. The dishes I love most are where those worlds collide — a Chinese technique with Indian spice, made for my five kids.

Where it makes sense, I cook a little healthier: better oils, less sodium, whole over refined. Real food, made with intention.

New recipes weekly — weeknight dinners, school lunches, dim sum, Indo-Chinese, and heritage dishes from both sides of the family. Written recipes at dragonpearlkitchen.com.