115 sticky recipes

Sri Lankan ala badun is a fiery, turmeric-stained dry potato curry tossed with caramelized onions, curry leaves, and a pop of mustard seeds. A squeeze of lime at the finish brightens every bite.

This cinnamon-orange marinade, characteristic of Balkan cooking, is a specialty of Georgia in south-central Russia.The tabaka marinade is usually used with chicken and game hen, but it also goes nicely with swordfish.

Hot curried fruit with poached pears, oranges, melon, and grapes in a warm spiced curry syrup topped with crystallized ginger. An elegant side dish for holiday entertaining.

Fudgy one-bowl peppermint brownies made with real unsweetened chocolate, drizzled with white chocolate, and topped with crushed candy canes. A festive holiday brownie.

Spiced pickled peach slices preserved in white wine vinegar with brown sugar, dried chili peppers, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Ready after 3 weeks of curing in the jar.

Spiced cranberry relish caramelizes sugar, then cooks fresh cranberries with diced orange, lime, raisins, ginger, cinnamon, and vanilla bean for a complex holiday relish that improves with time.

Capirotada, a traditional Mexican bread pudding layered with bananas, raisins, peanuts, almonds, and Monterey Jack cheese, soaked in a cinnamon-clove brown sugar syrup.

Pimiento sweet pickles made with 24 red bell peppers brined overnight and simmered in a spiced vinegar syrup with cloves, cinnamon, allspice, mace, and mustard seeds.

A simple chicken curry, perfect served over rice. Coconut cream gives this dish a rich taste.

Homemade Chex-style snack mix with shredded wheat, Cheerios, pretzels, and peanuts baked with Worcestershire, dill, and garlic salt. Keeps for 6 weeks.

Lentejas en Adobo: Mexican lentils with pork, ancho chilies, sweet plantain, and pineapple. A traditional sweet-savory Oaxacan adobo stew with deep fruit and spice.

Whole pears poached in spiced white wine with cinnamon, cloves, ginger, vanilla bean, and citrus zest, served warm with burnt sugar ice cream. An elegant make-ahead dessert.

Old-fashioned chocolate cake with crushed peppermint stick candy folded right into the batter. A tender cocoa layer cake with a cool, pepperminty crunch. Straight out of a mid-century church cookbook.

Raan masaledar: whole leg of lamb marinated 24 hours in a yogurt-almond-chili paste with garam masala, then slow-roasted and garnished with sultanas and almonds.

Baigan Aur Tamaatar is spiced Indian eggplant and tomato sauteed in ghee with turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and fresh ginger, finished with garam masala. A quick vegetarian side dish.

A little of this warm, spicy blend goes a long way. Coming from North India, where meat is eaten more frequently than in the South, it is the kind of masala that's popular as an accompaniment for almost any meat dish, as a condiment or in the sauce.