World cooking questions, answered.

About a dozen jars cover most recipes: cumin, coriander seed, sweet and smoked paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, ground ginger, red pepper flakes, garam masala, chili powder, dried oregano, and black pepper. For the fridge and pantry: soy sauce, fish sauce, tomato paste, and a chili paste like harissa or gochujang. Buy ground spices in small amounts; they lose most of their aroma within months.

Three places cover almost everything. The international aisle of a regular supermarket handles the basics: coconut milk, soy sauce, chickpeas, tortillas. Asian, Indian, Latin, Middle Eastern, and African grocery stores carry the rest, usually cheaper, especially rice, bulk spices, fresh herbs, and produce like cassava or plantains. For rare items, online specialty shops ship nationwide. Every recipe says where to find each ingredient in the US.

Most dishes exist in dozens of versions depending on the region and the family, so there is rarely one official recipe. Our method: name the regional version each recipe follows, cite our sources, and flag every adaptation (ingredient swapped, method changed) along with how it changes the result.

Commonly documented substitutes include lemon zest with a little fresh ginger for lemongrass, fresh ginger for galangal, and lime zest for makrut lime leaves. These substitutions do not reproduce the original fragrance exactly, so the recipe should identify the change. Lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves can also be frozen after purchase from an Asian grocery store.

A US cup is about 237 ml, but its weight depends on the ingredient: about 120 to 125 g of all-purpose flour, 200 g of granulated sugar, 227 g of butter (two sticks). One ounce is 28 g and one pound is 454 g. For the oven, 180 °C is about 350 °F and 200 °C is about 400 °F. Every recipe on this site gives US measurements with grams in parentheses.

They are three different blends. Curry powder is a British creation inspired by Indian cooking, built on turmeric, coriander, and cumin. Garam masala is a warmer Indian blend (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper), often added at the end of cooking. Ras el hanout is a Moroccan blend that can include twenty or more spices, and its mix varies from one spice seller to the next.

Remove the seeds and especially the white inner ribs and placenta of fresh chiles, where much of the capsaicin is concentrated. Start with half the amount listed, taste near the end, and adjust. If it is already too hot, fat and sweetness can soften the sensation: try yogurt, coconut milk, sour cream, or a small amount of sugar or honey. Water does not dissolve capsaicin and will not reduce the heat.

When a recipe's sources describe its heat, we give it as a rating from 0 to 3: 0 is not spicy, 1 is mild and usually kid-friendly, 2 is medium, 3 is hot, for a typical American palate.

Most do. Curries, tagines, chili, and braises keep up to three months in the freezer, and many taste better the next day. Yogurt- or cream-based sauces can split when thawed, so reheat them gently and stir. Cooked rice freezes too, as long as you cool it quickly and do not leave it in the fridge more than a day first.

No. A large skillet over high heat handles most stir-fries if you cook in batches so the pan does not crowd. A Dutch oven with a lid replaces a tagine for slow cooking. An Instant Pot saves time on stews, beans, and curries, and we give pressure cooker timing when the source recipe includes one.