This starchy side dish gets a kick of heat from cayenne pepper, fresh chiles, and hot red pepper flakes.

Make sure to buy the larger dried shrimp and select those that are bright pink or pink-orange.

There’s character to spare in this layered flatbread, called msemmen in Arabic. The dough is rubbed with spiced oil, rolled into a spiral, flattened, and then cooked on a griddle, for a flakiness that’s surprisingly substantial....

Make one big batch and keep it in the freezer for weeks—we’re sure you’ll be tossing it into all kinds of dishes.

You can tell this recipe hails from a tropical environment because of the way the first bite of chiles causes a light sweat to break out on your brow.

A brief 30-minute swim in a marinade imbues shrimp with intense flavor—jalapeño, ginger, and garlic lend heat, while garam masala contributes depth.

This well-balanced stew is intense yet mellow. The prunes soak up the fragrant spices, and long, slow cooking turns the lamb fork-tender.

These rolls are based loosely on b’stilla—a phyllo-crusted “pie” of chicken that’s been simmered with spices and then mixed with egg and nuts....