Regional Cuisine Recipes

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.

Hungarian-style chilled cherry soup with whole cherries, red wine, cinnamon, cloves, and lemon, thickened with quick tapioca and topped with sour cream. A classic Eastern European summer starter.

Salata tahina, a creamy Middle Eastern tahini sauce with crushed garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and parsley. Serve as a mazza dip, salad dressing, or drizzle for grilled meats.

Pork and chile burritos simmer cubed pork with tomatillos, jalapeno, cilantro, and warm spices into a tangy, fork-tender filling rolled into flour tortillas, broiled with melty cheese.

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.

Beef bobotie is South Africa's national dish: spiced curried minced beef with raisins and chutney baked under a golden egg custard topping. A sweet-savory casserole classic.

Kesari bhaat (sweet saffron rice): Indian basmati rice perfumed with saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, and clove, sweetened with jaggery, and finished with almonds and currants. Traditional festival dessert.

Shahi dal is a royal Indian lentil dish with pigeon peas simmered in whole spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, then finished with a ghee-fried onion tadka. Vegetarian comfort food served over rice.

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.

Koloketes: traditional Cypriot pumpkin hand pies with bulgur, onion, and warm cinnamon in a crisp olive oil pastry. Authentic Greek Cypriot mezze or snack.

Mexican bean cake made with pinto bean puree, apples, raisins, and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. A moist, spiced sheet cake with a simple glaze.

Greek yogurt cake with raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves layered through a tender butter batter. A traditional tourta cut into diamond shapes for a spiced afternoon sweet.

Calamaria Parayemista, Greek stuffed squid filled with spiced rice, tomato puree, cinnamon, and cloves, then braised in white wine. A traditional Greek mezze appetizer.

Curried whole chickpeas (chana) simmer in a freshly ground spice blend of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and cumin with ginger, chilies, and tomato. Authentic Indian vegetarian curry.

Aromatic curry stock simmered with onions, ginger, garlic, ghee, cloves, and cardamom. The foundation every Indian curry, biryani, or dal deserves in place of plain water.

Gujar Ka Pullao (Indian carrot rice pilaf): fragrant basmati cooked with caramelized onions, grated carrots, and whole spices like cardamom, clove, cinnamon, and cumin. A vibrant, naturally vegan side from Northern India.