Holiday
Continental Curry Biryani
It’s almost Buddha’s birthday! Buddha’s birthday is celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month of the Chinese lunar calendar in nearly all east-Asian countries. This year it falls on Friday, May 17th in the Western calendar. Because it is customary to eat rice on Buddha’s birthday, we developed this heavily spiced vegetarian biryani to honor the Buddha and many of the exotic lands from which our spices come. Our Continental Curry is the perfect blend for this occasion, as it combines the best elements of several varieties of yellow curry. While we can’t promise a permanent Nirvana as a result of this dish, we guarantee at least a transient one!
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Ingredients
Instructions
- In a medium-sized pan over medium heat, add the oil. When hot, add the onion and cook until softened.
- Add raisins, cashews, cloves, cumin, Indian coriander, green cardamom and cassia sticks.
- Saute spices until fragrant and the seeds start to "pop", about 3 minutes.
- Add salt, water and saffron and bring to a boil.
- Add rice and turn heat down to simmer.
- Cover and cook for about 10 minutes. Rice will be 3/4 of the way cooked. Spread in a shallow pan to cool.
- While rice is cooking, par-cook the vegetables. In a shallow pan over medium-high heat, add the vegetables and water. Cover and steam for about 5 minutes.
- In a food processor, puree the garlic, ginger, onions, mint leaves, Continental Curry, jalapeno, salt and tomato.
- In a medium saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil.
- Add paste and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add par cooked vegetables, stirring well to combine. Taste for seasoning and salt.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small saucepan, warm a pinch of saffron and the milk. Remove from heat.
- Spray a large ovenproof casserole dish with pan spray.
- Layer in half of the rice and sprinkle with half of the cilantro.
- Evenly spread the vegetable curry paste mixture over the rice.
- Top with remaining rice and sprinkle with remainder of cilantro.
- Drizzle with the saffron-infused milk.
- Cover the casserole dish and bake for 15 minutes, until the rice is cooked through.
- Turn the oven off and let the biryani stay in the hot oven for another 10 minutes.
- While the biryani is baking, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Add the sliced onions and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels.
- Add chopped cashews and fry until golden. Drain on paper towels.
- Remove the biryani for the oven.
- Top with fried onions and cashews.
- Serve with Greek yogurt on the side.
Brunch For Mom
Eggs Benedict is a classic, there’s no denying that, but “classic” is perhaps not the word I’d use to celebrate my funny, youthful, and adventurous mother! For my mom, poached eggs will sit atop crisp potato pancakes, under a blanket of creamy Orange-Tarragon hollandaise sauce. The sweetness of the orange peel plays against the anise notes of the tarragon in this classic French combination, made whole with shallots and Tellicherry black pepper. The sauce is so sumptuous, and the crunchy fried potatoes make a perfect vehicle for it. Not to mention the eggs- nothing says “love” like a perfectly poached yolk, don’t you know! Mother’s Day is May 12th, so make Mom breakfast, and let her know how sorry you are for your teenage years.
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
- Peel potatoes and coarsely grate using a box grater.
- Transfer grated potatoes to a large bowl of cold water and soak for 1-2 minutes.
- Drain well in a colander.
- Spread grated and drained potatoes with onions on a kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style.
- Twist towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible.
- Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and add eggs, salt and flour.
- Mix well to combine.
- Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until very hot, but not smoking.
- For each pancake, spoon 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture into the skillet, spreading into 3-inch diameter rounds with a fork.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook until the undersides of the pancakes are browned, about 5 minutes.
- Flip pancakes and cook again until browned, about 5 minutes
- Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt.
- Add more oil to skillet and repeat with remaining batter.
- Keep warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven.
- Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl until the mixture is thickened and has doubled in volume.
- Boil approximately 1 cup of water in a saucepan.
- Place the bowl with the egg yolks mixture over the saucepan making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl.
- Whisk the mixture rapidly being careful not to let the eggs get too hot - or they will scramble.
- Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce easily coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- Remove from heat and whisk in Orange Tarragon.
- Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.
- Fill a deep skillet half full of water.
- Add remaining lemon juice to water.
- Bring to a slow boil - not rolling!
- Gently crack 1 of the eggs into the water, taking care not to puncture the yolk.
- Repeat with remaining eggs.
- Reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer.
- Cook until the egg white is set and the yolk remains soft, about 3 1/2 minutes.
- Top a warm pancake with a poached egg and drizzle generously with hollandaise.
Dolmades for Greek Easter
If you thought that the Easter fun was over far too soon, not to fear! Greek Easter is this coming Sunday, and awash with delicious traditions all its own. Not to be missed are these tasty little pockets of meat, rice, and nuts, expertly seasoned with our savory and tangy El Greco blend. They’re called “dolmas” in the singular, and “dolmades” when referring to the scores of them you’ll eat once you’ve had a taste of their perfect balance of Mediterranean flavors, all wrapped in a convenient little two-bite gnosh. All of the ingredients ought to be readily available in most markets, including grape leaves, which often come in cans or jars. If you’ve got a grape vine over an arbor, fresh work wonderfully, too; just poach them a bit of salted water with a half a lemon thrown in. Admittedly a little time-consuming, the dolmades can be prepared 2 to 3 days before serving, and refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to use them. If you do freeze them, they can be thawed overnight in the refrigerator, and gently heated with a little broth or water before serving. You’ll find them more than worth the effort! Kalo Pascha!
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet.
- Add onion and saute until translucent.
- Add meat, stirring to break up pieces.
- Add rice, dill, El Greco, pine nuts, water and tomato paste.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cook over medium heat until water is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
- Cover the bottom of a Dutch oven with a layer of grape leaves.
- Stuff remaining leaves by placing leaf (shiny side down) on the palm of your hand, with the base of leaf the toward your wrist and tip pointing to your middle finger.
- Put a spoonful of meat mixture in center.
- Fold the base of the leaf over the filling, then fold sides of leaf over (like an envelope), tucking the edges in snugly
- Arrange, tip side down, (to prevent unrolling) in the Dutch oven.
- Add broth to Dutch oven within 1 inch of top layer of stuffed grape leaves.
- Use any left over leaves to cover top layer.
- Place a heat-proof plate upside down over the top layer of dolmas, and press firmly.
- Cover and cook over medium heat until rice is tender, about 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice and cook 5 minutes longer.
- Let cool to room temperature, or chill thoroughly.
- Serve garnished with lemon slices and a little greek yoghurt for dipping.
Rooster Spice Asparagus
Songkran (สงกรานต์) is the traditional Thai New Year water festival which starts on April 13 every year. Traditionally, the throwing of water is said to be a symbol of luck to bring good rain for the crops. Well, we are swimming in good luck with a bountiful asparagus harvest this year and a brand new spice blend, Rooster Spice! We designed this spicy chili powder drawing inspiration from Indonesian sambal, Thai nam phrik, and Vietnamese tuong ot toi. Rooster Spice has limitless possibilities but here we combine the seasonality of asparagus with the celebration of Thai New Year. Enjoy!
Rooster Spice Asparagus
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a deep saute pan, gently heat oil to 375 degrees
- Bring 4 quarts of heavily salted water to a rolling boil
- Add asparagus, cook for 50 seconds
- Transfer to a bowl of ice water to shock, then dry thoroughly
- In a medium bowl, mix egg yolks with flour, cornstarch, Rooster Spice and beer, taking care not to over mix
- In a separate bowl, beat eggs whites to soft peaks
- Fold egg whites, very gently, into egg yolk mixture
- Do not over mix or allowed batter to sit too long
- Toss asparagus with a few tablespoons of flour, shaking to remove excess
- Dredge in batter and fry in oil, until golden and crisp
- Season with Sel de Mer, a squeeze of lemon, or a generous dousing of malt vinegar
- Serve in newspaper cones
Spice and Tea Dyed Easter Eggs
Easter can be the time for pastel-dyed confections, day-glo-hued eggs, baskets filled with cheap, plastic toys, waxy chocolate, and dapper-dressed rabbits intent on stuffing you with all of the above… unless you’re World Spice! We’re big believers in featuring the earth’s natural gifts, and with a host of spices and teas to choose from, we decided try our hand at the season’s chosen craft of dyeing eggs. What resulted were beautifully dappled eggs in a rainbow of subtle spicy hues. Below are our favorites, and a bit of our process, too!
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The vibrant yellow you see, is of course, from turmeric. The pinkish color is from beet powder, which we expected to make a more intense color, but instead came out as closer to a dusty rose. Hibiscus flower tea made the periwinkle color right in the middle, but combining beet powder and hibiscus made the intense indigo up in the left-hand corner. The hibiscus was so intense that if another of our experiments didn’t work, we soaked them in the hibiscus after, and came up with all sorts of odd colors, some even close to black!
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We used white vinegar for our mordant, but you can use cream of tartar, as well. Distilled water works better than tap for dyeing, too. We were less than scientific in our measurements, but a good ratio is two tablespoons of mordant per four cups of water, and about a half cup of dyestuff. Bring mordant and water to a boil with your spice or tea to dye, turn off the heat, and allow the eggs to soak for at least half an hour, but in the fridge as long as overnight for the best results.
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To make designs on your spice and tea dyed eggs, you can draw on the shells with beeswax prior to dyeing, or wrap the egg in rubber bands for a fun batik effect. To increase the dappled look, marbleize your egg by adding a drop of oil to the dye liquid. If you prefer a smoother look, strain the dyeing liquid before soaking the eggs. Which ever you do, be sure not to stir or shake up the eggs when they’re soaking, or you’ll disturb the setting of the mordant, and they won’t color as deeply. Happy Easter from the World Spice team!
Spice, Tea, and… Romance??
Sanjay and Pooja’s Adorable Wedding Favor!
The spice shop is a special place for many of us, staff and customers alike. For two decades we’ve swapped stories of favorite recipes and moments shared, but recently we heard a story that touched us like no other.
Meet Pooja, and her groom-to-be, Sanjay. They first found each other on an online dating site, but when discussing a place to meet in person, Sanjay suggested World Spice. On the 15th of January, 2012 the couple met for the first time right here in our shop, and spent the afternoon sharing stories about spices and favored dishes. For the couples’ second date, Pooja prepared a pumpkin coconut curry and Harissa shrimp, and they realized a mutual love of ethnic foods, and big flavors. “We feel lucky to have found each other,” Pooja told us. Fast forward to February of 2013, and the happy couple is preparing to marry, still eating together, and when their busy schedules allow, cooking meals like grilled Tandoori chicken with roasted onions and peppers, and spicy burgers with sweet potato fries.
Pooja and Sanjay
Herbs and spices are deeply rooted in romantic tradition. Giving gifts of spices for weddings is still very much alive. In modern times, spices can symbolize a fresh start. Pooja and Sanjay are giving away small tins of Indian Garam Masala to the friends and family who are sharing their special day. Congratulations, Pooja and Sanjay, we wish you a long and happy life together, full of love, spice, passion, and good food!
Roasted Quail Feast for Valentines Day
Exotic, aromatic and romantic we prepared this intimate feast with a table for two in mind. Succulent quail are roasted to perfection with one of our most alchemical blends: Ras el Hanout, which contains a hint of Moroccan rose petals and finished with a finger licking honey glaze. Our Wild Rice Pilaf accompaniment features the bold, classic flavor of cassia cinnamon while the Paradise Pistachio Relish combines grains of paradise and Aleppo to bring everything together for a memorable Valentine’s Day Feast, we’ll leave the desert up to you.
Honey Roasted Quail with Wild Rice Pilaf and Paradise Pistachio Relish
Ingredients
Instructions
- For the Brine - Bring water to a boil in a large stock pot.
- Once boiled, remove from heat and add sugar and salt.
- Stir until sugar and salt have dissolved.
- Add enough ice to bring water volume to 1 gallon
- Once the brine has cooled, add quail and spices and refrigerate for 2 1/2 hours
- Preheat over to 450 degrees
- Remove quail from brine and pat dry with paper towels Set aside to bring to room temperature, about 30-40 minutes
- While quail are setting, melt butter in a small skillet
- Add Ras el Hanout, whisk and remove from heat
- Apply butter/Ras el Hanout mixture liberally to quail
- Roast quail, preferably on a grill rack, for 12-17 minutes
- While the quail roasts, prepare the glaze:
- In a small saucepan, heat honey and coriander over medium heat, stirring often, until honey is reduced by half, about 8 minutes
- Discard coriander seeds
- With a pastry brush, glaze the roasted quail with honey.
- Finish with Sel de Mer
- Serve with rice pilaf and pistachio relish (recipes below)
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, brink stock to boil
- Add rice, cinnamon stick and bay leaf
- Reduce heat and simmer until rice kernels open, about 45-50 minutes
- While rice cooks, saute onion on medium heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes
- Add garlic to onions and continue sauteing until garlic is lightly browned
- When rice is nearly cooked, add onion/garlic mixture, and dates
- Cover and until the dates have dehydrated, about 10 minutes
- Season with salt to taste
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine pistachios, parsley, mint, garlic and lemon in a mixing bowl
- Slowly add olive oil, mixing as you go
- Add Aleppo, grains of paradise and salt
- Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour
Voodoo Shrimp and Grits
Have you ever eaten something so good that it induces a trance? Well, check out our Voodoo Shrimp and Grits. This classic dish features our brand new spice blend, Voodoo, a robust seasoning which includes onion, garlic, thyme and allspice on a base of peppercorns and sea salts. We are excited to share Voodoo Shrimp and Grits just in time for Mardis Gras. French for Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras refers to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season. Definitely rich, this recipe could be the inspiration for your own Mardi Gras ritual.
Voodoo Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients
Instructions
- For the Grits: Put water in a large pot and bring to a rolling boil.
- Add salt and slowly sprinkle in grits while stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Add the half-and-half and return to a simmer.
- Reduce heat, cover and cook the grits slowly.
- After 30-40 minutes, stir in chopped butter and black pepper.
- Continue to cook grits until smooth and creamy, about an hour.
- For the Sauce: In a heavy saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat and brown the andouille sausage. Once the sausage begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes, remove from pan.
- Season both sides of the shrimp with Voodoo.
- Sear the shrimp over medium high heat for about a minute on each side, working in batches to not crowd the pan. Remove from pan.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to pan
- Add cooked sausage onion, pepper, garlic and spices. Saute for 3 minutes, until the onion is tender and translucent
- Add stock and bring to boil, gently scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any flavorful bits on the bottom of the pan
- Reduce heat and slowly add the cream
- Bring up to a simmer and allow to reduce until sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 10 minutes
- Once thickened, add seared shrimp and simmer until the shrimp are just cooked, about 2-3 minutes
- Spoon sauce over grits
- Finish with Voodoo
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Expect a huddle in the kitchen as well as around the TV with this Creole-inspired dish. Many of us fondly remember Sesto’s Cafe, our neighbor here on Western Avenue and its New Orleans native and owner, Chuck Smith. Chuck made some of the most memorable and mouthwatering Gumbo out of the Bayou. We sure miss Sesto’s but lucky for us, Chuck generously shared his recipe for Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. We’ve streamlined his process just a tad (Don’t worry, Chuck, your secret is safe!), and layered it with a classic roux from the cookbook of the Junior League of Lafayette, LA. There’s this big game happening on February 3rd in New Orleans – a city rich with culinary history, laden with exotic influences. What an excellent opportunity to enjoy this delicious dish.
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Ingredients
Instructions
- A large, heavy pot is a must - the heavier the better. Patience is a must - the more the better. (It will be rewarded! We promise!)
- Mix flour and oil until thoroughly until blended before heating. Turn heat on medium-low and immediately begin stirring. Allow roux to brown slooowly, stirring constantly.
- When roux is dark brown, add chopped vegetables.Increase heat to medium and stir until onions are translucent. Add seasonings, stirring to blend. Add sausage and chicken, stirring until evenly browned.
- Slooowly add heated chicken stock, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until gumbo comes to a simmer. Simmer 1 hour, stirring often and reducing heat if necessary to prevent sticking. Add salt to taste.
- You can adjust the final thickness of the gumbo with file (FEE-lay) powder , or pass it at the table as a traditional accompaniment.
