Recipes

Kaffe Baharat Sheet Pan Brussels

13 min

Caught a whiff of our newest blend, Kaffe Baharat, and inspiration struck—Brussels sprouts and this mix were destined to be together. The earthy tones from turmeric, toasted cumin, and paprika begged for a companion that was tangy, bright, and sweet. Cue the entrance of pomegranate, two ways! Pomegranate molasses and the bejeweled seeds. I was confident its fruity notes would play beautifully with the urfa biber, rich coffee, and spicy ancho chile in the blend. This side dish is proof that simplicity can be both complex and easy.  

Cape Malay Chicken Curry

15 min

If you like a spicy curry, this recipe is definitely for you. Many curry all-stars make an appearance in our key ingredient, South African Curry, like turmeric, European coriander, and black pepper. But what really makes this blend unique (and brings the heat!) is the healthy portion of Indian Cayenne. With an easy protein like chicken breast and several pantry staples such as onions and canned tomatoes, this dish will be simple and quick to make at home. Serve this flavorful and aromatic Cape Malay Chicken Curry with rice or bread for a delicious and comforting meal that brings the taste of South Africa to your table.

Cape Town Cauliflower Potato Curry

15 min

Filling, yet inexpensive to make, this comforting dish with fiery South African flavors makes the most delicious leftovers. Plus, it's Vegan! In this one-pot meal, the veggies are hearty and absorb all of the spices. Turmeric, Coriander, Paprika, Cumin, Cardamom, Cayenne, and Black Pepper come together to make a dish that's both light and savory.  Why the Cascade Mushroom Mix? The blend of porcini and vegan Worcestershire give the veggies the extra flavor they needed to be a main course.  Serve the curry hot over rice, naan, or with your favorite bread. It's the perfect Meatless Monday dinner, and you might find yourself craving it on other days that end in Y, too.

Banana Fritters with Voatsiperifery Sugar

40 min

Inspired by Hawa Hassan's Mofo Akondro (Banana Fritters) from "Bibi's Kitchen" cookbook, this nut-free and grain free recipe comes together quickly and is suspiciously easy! Just dip the banana slices in the batter and pop them in a pot of hot oil. The splatter is worth the effort.Crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside the flavors are all intensified in the frier and the pairing of banana + Voatsiperifery is heavenly. We crushed the peppercorns in a mortar and combined them with granulated sugar to make this flavorful sprinkling sugar. Sweet and peppery at the same time, this sugar compliments the Banana Fritters like nothing else could. Serve along side fresh tropical fruit or with vanilla ice cream and enjoy the flavors of Madagascar.

Tabil Plantain Chips

At the shop, we are frequently asked, "what spice is underrated?" The Tunisian blend Tabil is our go-to answer. It's a simple blend consisting of caraway, garlic, chile flakes, and coriander. All of the spices get toasted to bring out their nutty, umami notes. We took green (under ripened) plantains to another level by thinly slicing, then frying them until crispy. Once done, we added a mixture of Tabil, salt and a little bit of brown sugar. This snack is addictive and full of flavor. These are delicious with a dip like hummus or as a crunchy topping on rice and beans or a salad. Have fun playing with this blend - it's bold, savory flavor has found its way into most of our daily staples.

Chermoula

Afro-Vegan by Bryant Terry is a mainstay vegan cookbook on our shelves at home. He researched traditional Southern cooking, going back to its roots in Africa and the Caribbean, but made the recipes vegan. The results are delicious! (Bonus: Every recipe has a song choice, too!) We especially love this recipe. Chermoula is a versatile marinade combining fresh herbs with dried spices, oils and citrus to create layers of flavor. It is used liberally in Algerian, Libyan, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking to flavor fish, seafood, meats and vegetables.

Get Your Sausage-Making on with Chorizo Bomb!

World Spice's  Chorizo Bomb spice blend has been a favorite of our restaurant clients for years, so it was no surprise that it started flying off the shelves as soon as we started offering it to our retail family. This versatile blend can be used to make a Mexican-style chorizo, or even a North African-style merguez sausage, as links or patties. It pulls double, triple, and quadruple duty as a great grill seasoning, taco and fajita spice, or in simple beans and rice. A little smoky from the Pasilla Oaxacas, sweet smoked paprika, and Chipotle flakes, a little herbaceous from the generous dose of oregano, thyme, and marjoram, and a bit sweet from the Hungarian paprika... well, you'll see. There's a reason we call it the "bomb!"So, how do you use it? We're testing additional recipes right now, but in the meantime, here are easy patty-making recipes for both Mexican chorizo and North African mergeuz sausage. P.S. If you decide to go all D.I.Y. homemade, here's a great article explaining how to grind your own meat for patties as well as case up your sausage links: how to make your own sausage.

Harissa and Vegetable Couscous

This recipe has been a long time coming. Hardly anyone who comes in to the shop -- spice masters and novices alike -- can pass over the North African section without some long, lingering sniffs. The spices from that region are so exotic, in their perfect union of sweet-spicy-aromatic. "How do you use the Harissa?" is one of the most common questions following the exclamations of delight. And though my fellow merchants and I have written versions of this recipe on many a business card, envelope, and scratch paper, it's about time it took its place among our favorites here on the blog.The tender-crisp vegetables and fluffy couscous are a perfect vehicle for this sumptuous sauce, our version of the traditional Tunisian red pepper condiment that is so ubiquitous in Northern Africa. The cumin, coriander, and caraway add complexity and depth, with the guajillos lending just enough heat to be interesting without being overwhelming. You can also try the Harissa sauce on grilled meats or eggplant -- or even on halibut!