Recipes

Litibu Collective Chicken Pho

This recipe is from Diem Nguyen the the owner of Litibu Collective. Diem is a friend of World Spice and we're thankful she shared her Mom's recipe for one of our favorite chicken soups. "You may have had phở bò (beef pho), but have you tried phở gà? Phở bò is a long process requiring simmering for hours, ideally overnight..Here we share how to make a less time-intensive version of phở gà (Chicken) and the techniques required for any phở. "-Diem Nguyen

Star Anise Caramelized Onions

5 min

Discover the secret to effortlessly delicious caramelized onions! Don't be intimidated by their fancy name—making them is easier than you think. With just a simple process of cutting onions and stirring in a pan, you'll achieve golden perfection. For an extra touch of sweetness and aroma, add whole Star Anise. These flavorful onions elevate burgers, pizza, and mashed potatoes. Once you experience the beefy goodness enhanced by the lingering anise aftertaste, you'll never make onions any other way again!

Mulled Whiskey Sour

Mulled cider takes a walk on the wild side in this Mulled Whiskey Sour. This classic cocktail combines the best of fall all in one glass and you don't have to be a bartender to make it. We infused Mulling Spice in apple cider, making it spicy and aromatic. All the sweetness comes from the apples so there is no added sugar or syrup and the bouquet of spices really comes through. This cocktail is a perfect one to make ahead of time as a "batch cocktail" during the holidays--the whiskey will blend nicely into the mulled apple cider, and the flavors will mellow and get smoother as it sits.

Café De Olla

One of my favorite breakfast drinks is Mexican spiced coffee. This drink is traditionally made in a large clay pot where you simmer warm spices like true cinnamon, cloves, and star anise with coffee. It's name translates to ''pot coffee'' because the clay pot adds an earthy flavor to the drink and only gets better with each batch made. Traditionally, a raw cane sugar cone, piloncillo, is melted down, adding sweetness and caramel notes, similar to brown sugar. Once the water is sweetened and aromatic, my grandma would add a sinful amount of instant coffee and pour us a mug along with pan dulce (Sweet Mexican Bread). I grew up drinking the instant stuff for convenience but you can try both options in the recipe below. This beverage is also known as Café Mexicano and every family has their own version. I'm pretty loyal to the combination of true cinnamon, cloves and star anise. The trio makes the coffee floral, warm and sweet, after every sip you'll taste the best out of the malty coffee.

Noon Chai

Tackling new culinary challenges is one of my great joys, and I'm always on the lookout for new techniques to try. As it happens, I also love all things floral and pink so when I came across this Noon Chai, it went to the top of my list. Traditionally made for brides on their wedding day or for special occasions, the drink gets its beautiful color from aerating the green tea and adding a pinch of baking soda. The two react, creating a deep rouge color. Never did I realize that a cup of tea would require such a technique! After several failed attempts on mastering this delicacy, luck would have it that a wonderful customer at the spice shop gave me some important tips!The result was unlike any cup of tea I've ever had. The tea is creamy, floral and scented with Green Cardamom Pod, Star Anise and Roses — with just a little Himalayan Pink Salt. We garnished the tea with pistachios, rose petals and a star anise, making it a tasty afternoon treat. The marriage between sweet and salty is just perfect.A special thanks to Hassaan Arshad, for sharing his Mom's technique and giving me the tools to master this treat!

World Spice Chili Crunch

World Spice Chili Crunch is a staff favorite soon to be a fan favorite. The wave of chili crunch obsession spread through the World Spice team like wildfire thanks to the genius who gifted each and every one of us a jar. This incredible condiment satisfies on every level. The store bought version is a powerhouse with medium heat and maximum flavor. It is both chewy AND crunchy with a deep umami base. It's good on everything! So...the journey to our version of this recipe began. The motivation was partly for fun to play with chili flavors and partly practical to turn out a version without MSG or preservatives. We hit the kitchen and it took a few tries! In the end this closely timed process turned out the best result. What we discovered was a temperature sweet spot while frying the chilies. Too low and they won't stay crisp and too high and you'll burn them. Our version requires minimal chopping and is also nut free because everyone needs chili crunch. We bumped up the heat with 3 different types of chilis so expect more fire from this version. We added the zing of Sichuan peppers and bumped up the umami with Cascade Mushroom Mix.Try your own version of chili crunch with any combination of dried chilies! This recipe makes a generous quart of crunch, plenty for any chili-head and enough to gift and share.

World Spice 25

To celebrate our 25th birthday, we pulled out all the stops with our signature blend Ras El Hanout, which has over 20 aromatic spices. It imparts a lovely bright orange color to the syrup and the flavors lean right into the oaky American whiskey. Crisp lemon and honey mellow into the combination. Enjoy a sip of this spirited and sensational cocktail! Cheers to 25 more spicy years!

Clarified Milk Punch

Mixolology is much more than a hobby to me, and the chef in me loves this drink because of all the science involved. The key to the punch's clarity is the milk proteins, which cling to all of the impurities in the mixture. Once strained, the result is a flavorful elixir that will impress any foodie or bartender. Although it's plenty boozy, it's smooth and evolves with every sip. If you love cocktails, this is a must try!The base of the punch is rum, apple brandy, and whiskey. We spiced the base with Keemun black tea, allspice, star anise, cinnamon, and cardamom, then we juiced a couple lemons and combined. With the alcohol and acid, the milk will start to curdle. Let the mixture set over night, then strain and run through a coffee filter. This drink packs a lot of hidden flavor, so we find it's best served simply on ice with a lemon peel.

Golden Turmeric Granola with Dried Berries

Start your day with this powerhouse of nutrition and flavor. We've infused coconut oil with Turmeric and Star Anise to turn everyday granola into a beautiful ambrosia with whole Indian Coriander Seed seeds and tart dried fruit. There are no limits to what you can do with this fancy cereal! Use our Golden Turmeric Granola as a base for dessert crusts or energy bars and enjoy every bite. It really is about more than just the looks! The unexpected flavor of Indian coriander is delightful and the little pops of chopped dried tart cherries are so welcome! If you don't have any dried tart cherries, you can substitute dried blueberries, or chopped dried cranberries for the same flavor.