Regional Cuisine Recipes

South African Cape Malay fruit and vegetable curry with apricots, apples, raisins, and warm spices over rice. A fragrant, naturally vegan one-pot dinner full of sweet-spicy depth.

Medianyk is a traditional Ukrainian honey cake spiced with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Whipped egg whites give it a light, airy crumb despite all that honey.

A fragrant homemade Chinese ten-spice blend with toasted star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, coriander, and cumin. Toast, grind, and store for marinades, stir-fries, sauces, and meat rubs.

Lamb stew with chestnuts and pomegranate layers tender braised lamb with saffron, cinnamon, ground walnuts, and tart pomegranate juice. A jewel-toned Persian-style stew, sweet, sour, and savory, spooned over saffron rice.

Homemade papaya chutney simmered with fresh and ground ginger, honey, cilantro, and warm spices. A sweet-tangy condiment for curries, grilled meats, and cheese boards.

A Swiss showstopper: fresh plums caramelized in red wine, kirsch, and honey with pine nuts and pistachios, topped with homemade cinnamon ice cream. Serve warm or cold.

Rehruecken (saddle of venison cake) bakes a German chocolate-cinnamon sponge in a ribbed loaf mold, splits and fills with currant jelly, then glazes with chocolate and studs with slivered almonds.

Jamaican chicken wings marinate overnight in jerk seasoning with Scotch bonnet, allspice, dark rum, and warm spices, then bake to a sticky-sweet finish. Authentic Caribbean party wings.

Basic kibbi (kibbeh) of ground lamb, bulgur wheat, onion, and warm cinnamon, mixed to a smooth paste and baked or fried. The foundational Lebanese recipe for the national dish of the Levant.

Traditional Persian tahdig rice with saffron, cinnamon, pistachios, golden raisins, and candied orange zest. Fluffy basmati on top, shatteringly crisp golden crust on the bottom.

Buttery brown sugar shortbread pressed into a sheet pan, brushed with egg white, and topped with cinnamon sugar and sliced almonds. Cut into elegant diamond shapes for a cookie platter showstopper.

European-style spice cookies with ground hazelnuts, lemon zest, and warm cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Topped with a whole almond and egg-glazed for a glossy finish.

Spinach yogurt dip with a touch of kick. Musky and sweet spices compliment the spinach and tangy yogurt.

Sweet rice dumplings (Japanese ohagi) blend cooked sweet brown rice with raisins and cinnamon, then roll the small balls in coarsely chopped roasted walnuts. A naturally vegan, no-sugar treat.

In other parts of Central Asia this dish is made with red beans and I have it made with beef, horse, camel, chicken, and venison for the meat instead of the lamb. It is excellent anyway it comes.

Traditional yeast-raised kolachky filled with spiced prune lekvar, folded at the corners so the filling peeks through, then dusted with powdered sugar. An old-world Polish and Czech holiday pastry.