Turmeric

This delicate soup relies on egg yolk and cornstarch prevent the yogurt from curdling as it cooks.

This peppery turmeric soup is a meatless version of soto ayam, which is usually made with chicken. 

Bright, peppery turmeric and a smoky cumin salt on the rim make this vibrant drink perfect for celebrating Diwali. To serve, garnish with fresh mint and a wedge of lime.

Originally from Yemen, this fiery condiment has a dense, round flavor that comes from a variety of fresh chiles, herbs, and spices.

For an easy, one-pan weeknight dinner, crispy chicken goes on top of a pile of silky cabbage to finish in the oven, then gets topped with sweet peas and fresh herbs.

This is easily the juiciest chicken I’d ever had in my life. The yogurt marinade acts like a brine, tenderizing the meat and making it even juicier than a normal roasted chicken.

This omelet, with its rich, comforting, fiery gravy, is enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Of course, you could also whip it up deep into the night, the time when most Goan partygoers looking for something to fuel their endless dancing sessions seek it out on the lively Goan streets.

Like chutney in India or salsa in Mexico, no one in South Africa prepares chakalaka, a spicy vegetable relish, the same way. Here is our version, full of vegetables and spices. Serve the chakalaka with bread, rice, grilled meats or fish, stews...anything.

This golden-hued turmeric hot toddy from Claire Sprouse of Brooklyn’s Hunky Dory is wonderfully savory from the combination of nutty Amontillado sherry and earthy turmeric.

Hot pepper is notably absent from this mixture—unlike curry powder from Madras. Trinidadians like to add fresh hot pepper to dishes, according to taste.

This recipe is inspired by the grilled chicken served at Jeerapan, a 77-year-old restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand. Their version is baked in a tandoor-like oven, but I've adapted it for a grill or oven. The two-stage cooking method is essential: The initial roasting at moderate heat partially cooks the meat while dehydrating the skin, getting it ready to crisp up later on and allowing all the scattered bits of fresh aromatics and dried spices in the marinade to adhere. The final stage of cooking is hot and fast, using saffron-infused coconut oil as a basting liquid. The end result is a juicy, fragrant, and intensely flavorful bird, tinted canary gold—its skin smoky, charred, and crisp. The pineapple-chile dipping sauce lends its sweet tang and a mild kick of heat to round out the meal.

Bisibelabath is kitcheree’s spicier cousin. The name means “hot lentil rice,” so consider yourself warned—this is a spicy dish of vegetables, rice, and lentils straight out of South India. I like to serve it with raita to cool things off.

Quick pickled vegetables are welcomed any time of the year. Use fresh produce like cauliflower, carrots, radish, radish pods, or raw turmeric for this preparation.

There’s a history lesson in this spice blend: Yemen and India were stops on the ancient trade route, so this turmeric-based mix bears a resemblance to some Indian masalas.

Quinoa and baked fish are well seasoned with tangy sumac, tart lime, and garlic in this Persian-inspired dinner.

This is a homemade version of a miracle spice mixture that's a staple in Puerto Rican kitchens.

Who doesn’t love a plate-sized pancake for dinner? In this Asian-inspired riff, the protein-rich savory pancake is made with a chickpea flour and coconut milk batter and studded with bacon, scallions, and turmeric-spiced shrimp. Top it off with fresh herbs and crunchy mung beans and it’ll gain a permanent place in your weeknight rotation.

Grilled medium or medium rare, the delicious meat pulls from the built-in skewer (aka the bones), and you salivate even more as you chew.

This recipe requires a little extra prep time and an overnight marinade, essential in developing those rich, full-bodied curry flavors that we love so much. Plan ahead, get prepped, enter a world of next-level tastiness.

This particular kadi sauce is based on the Gujarati (Western India) version of a yogurt-based sauce thickened with gram flour (besan). In that region the sauce is sweet and sour.

Use this Indian-spiced tomato sauce in Gujarti Eggplant and Sweet Potato “Lasagna.”

Grilled or sautéed, these Vietnamese ground beef–stuffed leaves make a fantastic summer hors d'oeuvre or can be served with rice noodles and grilled vegetables for dinner.

This saffron-infused, vegetarian version of the traditional savory Iranian rice cake is made with earthy portobello mushrooms and meaty eggplants.

Pickling the eggs in their cracked but intact shells creates a unique tie-dye effect on each one.