Herbs & Spices

Herbaceous, aromatic, fresh, and—maybe most importantly—simple, this Trini-inspired recipe from Brigid Washington is just the cure for those January blues.

The roasted, earthy notes of the hōjicha (roasted green tea) carry the warming toasted baking spices for a comforting low-caffeine wintertime brew.

Blanching the citrus peel in several changes of boiling water removes bitterness while still leaving plenty of bright flavor behind.

Lara Lee’s meat-free version of the Laotian and Thai dish combines smoked tofu with pops of crunchy sesame seeds and a kick of lime dressing.

The high notes of these umami-laden noodles from Lara Lee, the author of Coconut and Sambal, are caramelized shiitake mushrooms.

In this refreshing Thanksgiving salad, half the kale gets crisped up in the oven like chips while the rest is tossed with a gingery soy-tahini dressing.

Hibiscus is used in drinks throughout the African diaspora but most notably in Jamaica. Inspired by sorrel—a festive Caribbean punch—this sauce is sweet, tangy, earthy, and the perfect complement to the peppery profile of Jamaican jerk. Rum, allspice, and fresh ginger add a level of warmth and richness of flavor that is the signature of Caribbean cuisine. Serve with Jerk Turkey Sheperd’s Pie. 

These melt-in-your-mouth dinner rolls from Claire Saffitz are even more tender and pillowy than the classic Parker House rolls.

These make-ahead green beans soak up a bright lemon and sumac dressing overnight.

This tahdig is dressed up with cranberries and woody herbs for a Thanksgiving-y, festive feel.

Flaky, nutty, buttery paratha you can prep ahead.

Ginger and orange juice give this raita a holiday feel. Treat it like cranberry sauce–it goes with everything.

Thinly sliced flanken-cut short ribs, packed with rich flavor, are the key to this Thai stir-fry.

Chitra Agrawal took flavor inspiration for this simple dish from her mother’s home state of Karnataka in South India, where thuppa means “ghee” and anna means “rice” in Kannada, the local language.

Short ribs aren’t just for braising. Make sure to grill them to medium doneness, just long enough to render fat and tenderize, without letting them overcook or toughen.

Cucumbers are transformed into candy-like bites in this unexpected dessert inspired by Eton mess, a British summer classic typically featuring layers of strawberries, broken meringue, and whipped cream. 

Doogh, a salty-tangy Persian yogurt drink, is the perfect antidote to a humid summer afternoon. It’s traditionally made with dried mint (and sometimes dried rose petals and/or black pepper), but this recipe employs fresh mint for a boost of bright flavor and color. This drink can be made with flat water, but club soda adds a refreshing fizzy finish.

The key to stress-free stir-frying is all in the prep work. Be sure to chop, slice, and grate everything before even thinking about turning on the stove. Top this dish with fried eggs to put it over the top, but it’s also great without them.

A concentrated spiced simple syrup to flavor any cold brew.

This standby salsa recipe using either tomatillos or tomatoes for the base lasts five days in the fridge or up to a month if you freeze it.

This super-flexible, all-purpose salad turns cabbage into luscious tangles of crisp leaves coated in a rich and bright dressing.

Chewy wonderful Korean rice cakes soak up the flavor of a ginger-garlic-scallion sauce we can’t quit.

To make chitranna, which translates to “mixed rice" in Kannada, bright yellow rice, colored with turmeric, is sautéed in oil that's been seasoned with black mustard seeds, curry leaves, chile, the umami-rich spice asafetida, and urad dal and chana dal, two lentils that add a nutty taste and crunchy texture. The dish is finally garnished with fried peanuts, grated coconut, cilantro, and a generous amount of lemon juice, resulting in a symphony of savory, sour, sweet, spicy, and herbaceous notes.