Lemongrass, zira, fenugreek: how to use unusual spices and what to cook with them

We assure you that the pickled slices you used to eat as a snack for sushi are far from the main way to use this spice. And not even as an unusual seasoning for a cocktail. This strange knotted root in China, Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries is added literally everywhere: in soups, salads and curries, in various drinks and even in sweets. But the coolest way is to make marinades for fish and meat from it. It turns out divine!

For 2 servings:

Cooking method

Make a marinade. Grate peeled ginger on a coarse grater, add soy sauce, sesame oil, honey and lemon juice to it. Mix everything.

Cut the fish into large cubes, marinate for at least half an hour (if you have time, it is better for 2-4 hours).

Dip fish pieces in sesame seeds and fry in a preheated pan for 2-4 minutes on both sides. At the end, pour the marinade into the pan (without ginger) and evaporate until thickened – you get a sauce for fish.

Remember those weird sticks in Thai Tom Yum soup? That’s lemongrass! That is, “lemongrass” – it really does have a lemony smell, but its own, special. But you shouldn’t try it for taste – the tough stems aren’t meant to be chewed. Usually, fresh lemongrass is added to a dish (soup, fish, meat) during cooking and removed before serving. Don’t like to bother and don’t know where to look for fresh lemongrass (another name for this seasoning)? No problem – it’s sold in powder form in the spice section. And in this case, they need to sprinkle the desired dish during the cooking process, such as, for example, black pepper. Only in much larger numbers. Try it, you will like it!

For 6 servings:

Cooking method

Season the chicken with salt and pepper inside and out.

Pound the tough end of the lemongrass stalks with a knife handle or hammer. Peel the garlic and press lightly with the handle of a knife. Cut the lemon into slices. Separate the cilantro leaves from the stems.

Put some lemon wedges, garlic and lemongrass stalks inside the chicken. If using ground lemongrass instead of stalks, rub the chicken inside and out with it.

Pour the coconut milk into a heatproof bowl. Add the remaining lemongrass, garlic and lemon, as well as the cilantro stems. Bring to a boil over the heat. Then put the chicken in it and send it to the oven at 200C. After half an hour, turn the chicken and leave to languish in the oven for another 40 minutes.

Before serving, cut the chicken and sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves.

It seems that no Middle Eastern (including Turkish) dish can do without this pronounced smelling spice with nutty notes. Especially meat. But you can find it in vegetables, in salads and even in bread. It is she who gives Arab dishes such a recognizable flavor. And in India, its roasted seeds are served after dinner – as a digestive and refreshing (instead of chewing gum). And even if it looks strange, it tastes good! And remember when buying zira: it is stored in grains for about a year, and in ground form – only a month.

For 2 servings:

Cooking method

The zira seeds have been charred in a frying pan and rubbed with coarse rock salt (if your zira has already been ground, simply mix the zira with salt).

Finely grate the lemon zest.

Mix ground lamb, grated lemon zest, chilli, sweet paprika, cumin with salt and ground black pepper. The resulting mixture should be thoroughly kneaded and molded into two pairs of medium-sized kyufta.

Prick each kyufta with wooden sticks and freeze for 15 minutes. Then fry the kufta in a pan with olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes. Use the chopsticks to turn the meat over so it browns evenly.

Serve with fresh vegetables or baked potatoes.

This plant has many names – fenugreek, fenugreek, helba, shaman, goat weed. But it seems to us that the most beautiful is Indian: Shambhala. Yes, and it is used there as a spice, perhaps most actively – for example, it is traditionally included in curry. By the way, this spice is very useful for women – thanks to the vegetable analogue of the hormone estrogen in the composition. It is probably no coincidence that in folk medicine it was believed that taking 3 grams of the seeds a day helps breast enlargement! But, in our opinion, it is more reliable to rely on the aromatic, and not on the miraculous properties of fenugreek!

for 3 servings:

Cooking method

Rinse the lentils in cold water and soak them for an hour.

Pour the melted butter into a thick-sided saucepan and bottom. Add the coarsely chopped onion and crushed garlic cloves, sauté for a few minutes.

Then sprinkle with fenugreek seeds. Brown them with the vegetables for 1 minute. Do not overcook, otherwise the fenugreek can become bitter and spoil the taste of the dish.

Cut the carrots into cubes, add them to the pan.

Remove the skin from the tomatoes, cut them into small cubes, also send them to the pan.

Pour the same lentils and pour everything 450 ml of cold water. Add finely chopped chili peppers, bay leaves and salt to taste. Bring to the boil then lower the heat, cover tightly with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes over low heat. The lentils should be tender and turn into a thick soup.

Serve with green onions or cilantro and bread tortillas.