This is Paula Wolfert's original recipe from her 1973 book "Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco," but I leave out the warm spices like cinnamon and cardamom so that the flavors are adaptable. The...
Sofrito - a blend of garlic, onions, peppers and recao (culantro) - is the backbone of Puerto Rican flavor. Also referred to as recaito, it's typically sautéed in oil as the foundation for sauces, braises,...
Ellen Greenblatt, a friend who lives in Berkeley, Calif., shared this recipe with me. Toss a green salad with this dressing, and no additional herbs will be necessary. It is perfect for chicken salad or...
A few tablespoons of this mustard may be whisked into homemade mayonnaise and served with anything poached. It also is a tasty addition to a vinaigrette dressing.
Colombian food is typically not spicy on its own. Instead, a hot sauce called ají - also the Colombian word for chiles - is served tableside. There are as many types of ají as there are regions in Colombia,...
In Desi cooking, mint chutney enlivens eggs, kormas, biriyanis, sandwiches and many other dishes, adding a sour, spicy and fresh cooling sweetness. Where it really sings, though, is as an accompaniment...
Classic bordelaise sauce, which can transform shoe leather into strip steak, is made with veal stock, demi-glace and time -- a lot of time. Here, though, you'll use pan drippings from pork chops, simmering...
This mayonnaise-based Japanese steakhouse sauce tastes glorious with grilled shrimp, chicken and vegetables, or drizzled over a plate of fried rice. Slather it on a burger, use it as a dipping sauce for...
Pickling is an essential skill for preserving the bounty that comes from the agrarian South. Here, two sons of the South - the cookbook authors Matt and Ted Lee - use the traditional boiling-pot method...
At once musky and sweet, with a pronounced kick, five spice is traditionally made from equal parts cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, star anise and peppercorns (usually Sichuan or white). This one, adapted...
Preparing tamarind paste is quite simple, and homemade paste has the added advantage of keeping for several months in the refrigerator, the result of its high acid content. Tamarind fruit comes in two...
Years ago, David Chang of Momofuku showed me how to create a fantastic compound butter with miso. Use it melted on fish, chicken or steak (lots of umami); on asparagus, broccoli or carrots; or drizzled...
Tomatillos, which are closer botanically to the gooseberry than to the tomato, have a wonderful acidic tang. To get the best out of them they should be simmered or grilled for about 10 minutes, until they're...
This is a 13th-century haroseth recipe from Provence, using the Mediterranean fruits and nuts that are still available in the region. Back then, Jewish families would have saved chestnuts from the fall...
The name "duck sauce" was created in the United States because this sauce was originally served with deep-fried pressed duck, which had no sauce of its own. Duck sauce became popular as a dip for any food...
Want to know how to make chili oil at home? Check out this easy, flavorful spicy chili oil recipe, great for rice, noodles, dumplings, and other recipes!
In Arabic, the term "baharat" simply means "spices" and can refer to any number of different blends, each tailored to a specific dish or ingredients. This all-purpose blend, adapted from Freda Nokaly and...
The quality of your ingredients counts for a lot here. Don't bother making ketchup until you can get luscious, ripe tomatoes. Grape tomatoes work, but feel free to use plum tomatoes instead. You want a...
A rub is a dry spice or spice and herb mixture used to coat the meat before grilling, adding not only strong flavor but a bit more crunch, especially if you toast, mix and grind the spices yourself.
Making Sweet Red Bean Paste (Anko) from scratch is easier than you think. You only need azuki beans, sugar, water, and salt. Here, I'll show you the two varieties: Tsubuan (chunky paste) and Koshian...
If you like whiskey, you'll love this bourbon BBQ sauce. It's perfectly sweet, a little smoky, and generously flavored with bourbon. Bonus that it takes only 25 minutes to make and is easily made...