< Previous2 AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EASTIndians influenced this expansive group of countries during ancient Babylonian times, establishing trading posts along Africa’s coasts. Over the centuries, spicing techniques and combinations dotted Africa’s cooking landscape and stretched into parts of the Middle East, every region painting their meats, fish, poultry, legumes, and vegetables with their signature blends. Morocco’s penchant for opulent spices like grains of paradise, rose hips, and saffron; Egypt’s aromatic inclusion of cloves, cardamom, and nutmeg; Ethiopia’s genius technique of scenting clarified butter with toasted fenugreek seeds and cinnamon sticks to enliven every dish; Mauritius’s British-influenced Madras curry powder sweetened with jaggery; and Nigeria’s breathing fire into their sauces with habanero chiles—all embody the way Africa and the Middle East live into their foods: full of vigor, color, and passion.Toasted Whole Spices with Ginger and Nutmeg Berbere Makes ½ cup 1 tablespoon coriander seeds 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds 1 teaspoon whole allspice 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 6 to 8 whole cloves ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds (see Tips, page 20) 4 to 6 dried red chiles (like chile de arbol), stems discarded 1 stick (about 3 inches) cinnamon, broken into 2 to 3 pieces 1 tablespoon ground annatto (achiote) seeds or sweet paprika 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 Preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is warm (holding your palm just above the base, you should feel heat within a few seconds), add the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, allspice, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom seeds, red chiles, and cinnamon pieces. Toast them, shaking the pan occasionally for an even toast, until the spices smell fragrant, the peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom appear ashy gray, the coriander and fenugreek seeds are reddish brown, and the cinnamon stick unfurls a bit, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately transfer the spices to a plate to cool. (The longer they sit in the hot pan, the more burnt and bitter they will be.) Once they are cool to the touch, place them in a spice grinder (or a clean coffee grinder) and pulverize them until they are the texture of finely ground black pepper. Tap the lid to release any of the intoxicating blend back into the grinder’s cavity. 2 Transfer this into a small bowl and stir in the annatto seeds, ginger, and nutmeg. Store this preferably in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid in a cool spot (do not refrigerate). It will keep for up to 6 months. 92 ON THE CURRY TRAILLamb Potato Stew in Bread Bowls Bunny chow Serves 4 FOR THE LAMB CURRY 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 3 black cardamom pods (see Note) 1 large bay leaf 1 stick (about 3 inches) cinnamon 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger 1 tablespoon Madras Curry Powder (page 19) ½ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1 pound boneless leg of lamb (sold as stew meat), cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes (submerged in cold water to prevent browning; drain before use) 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes, including juices 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro FOR THE CARROT RELISH 1 large carrot, peeled, and shredded 3 or 4 fresh green Thai or serrano chilies, stemmed and finely chopped (do not discard the seeds) 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt FOR SERVING 4 individual loaves of bread, like a ciabatta (or get an unsliced loaf of bread and cut it into 4 blocks) 1 Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once the oil appears to shimmer, sprinkle in the cumin, cardamom, bay leaf, and cinnamon. Once they sizzle and scent the oil, 15 to 30 seconds, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry the medley until they are light brown around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. 2 Sprinkle and stir in the curry powder, ground red pepper, and salt. The heat from the onion mélange is just right for cooking the ground spices without burning them, about 15 seconds. 3 Stir in the lamb pieces. Allow them to sear, stirring infrequently, uncovered, to seal in the juices, 3 to 5 minutes. 4 Now add the drained potatoes and continue to stir-fry the potatoes and meat to evenly cloak the pieces until they glisten with the glow of the spice blend, 1 to 2 minutes. 5 Pour in the tomatoes and their juices, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any collected browned bits of goodness, effectively deglazing the pan. Stir in 1 cup of water as well. Now bring the brothy liquid to a boil. (recipe continues) AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST 115Excerpted from On the Curry Trail: Chasing the Flavor That Seduced the World by Raghavan Iyer. Workman Publishing © 2023.Next >