Herbs & Spices

A riff on the Penicillin cocktail, with sherry and mezcal.

Many unconfirmed reports of this cocktail’s creation exist. Some believe it came from Chicago’s South Side during Prohibition; others think that it comes from the Southside Sportsmen’s Club on Long Island. Manhattan’s 21 Club also claims it as its own creation. There, they serve it long in a Collins glass over ice with a mint spring for garnish.

This shepherd’s pie uses ground chicken and leans toward warming flavors, incorporating bright bursts of the tropics—ginger, habanero chile, lime—as well as aromatic Angostura bitters.

Tagines are typical street food in Morocco, and this is the one that is most commonly found, except that street vendors cut the potatoes into small dice and I prefer to use new potatoes, which I leave whole if they are very small or halve if they are medium.

This omelet, with its rich, comforting, fiery gravy, is enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course, you could also whip it up deep into the night, the time when most Goan partygoers looking for something to fuel their endless dancing sessions seek it out on the lively Goan streets.

No chopping required for this weeknight dinner. Just blend spinach, kale, basil, and garlic with feta, cream cheese, and olive oil to make a fresh, rich sauce that wraps itself around pasta.

Serving whole fish during Chinese New Year symbolizes the wish for prosperity throughout the year and many happy returns. When you serve whole fish, it's traditional to point the head toward the most distinguished guest.

One great thing about dumplings is that you can use practically anything in the filling—and you can pan-fry them, or boil them, or deep-fry them.

This easy dinner is inspired by gomen, an Ethiopian dish in which greens are flavored with an aromatic spiced butter. Breaded tofu is a delightful counterpoint.

A cornerstone of Ethiopian cooking, this clarified butter is infused with spices and herbs native the region, giving it unique flavor and aroma.

Packed with greens, these boiled dumplings easily go vegetarian by switching out the ground pork for crumbled tofu.

Like chutney in India or salsa in Mexico, no one in South Africa prepares chakalaka, a spicy vegetable relish, the same way. Here is our version, full of vegetables and spices. Serve the chakalaka with bread, rice, grilled meats or fish, stews...anything.

Essentially Somali chai, this spiced tea with milk is served most often during the Somali afternoon tea tradition known as casariya.

These pan-fried dumplings are among the best selling items at Nom Wah Tea Parlor in New York City. The chicken gives the dumplings body, while the cabbage gives them volume.

This mosaic jello uses gelatina de leche as a base in which colorful cubes of three other gelatin flavors are suspended. If you’re having a birthday party, use small cups instead of a baking dish for individually portioned treats!

Sinhalese unroasted curry powder is called amu thuna paha (literally, raw three-five). The name refers to the three to five spices that unroasted curry powder traditionally contains. The three essential spice seeds include cumin seeds, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds, and additional curry leaves and/or pandanus leaves, and cinnamon bark.