Hubyba Mohamed, shown holding a bowl of her Chicken Curry,
sells spices she imports from Sri Lankan, her homeland, at the
Piikoi Open Market most Saturdays.
wBy Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin

CINNAMON: Scented bark of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum, native to India and Sri Lanka. Market-ready cinnamon is sweet-tasting and mahogany colored. The cinnamon generally available in America is not true cinnamon, but a cheaper, more astringent version from the Asian evergreen Cinnamomum cassia. Cinnamon is known as a stimulant and fungicide.

CUMIN: Versatile seed gives a distinctive, warm flavor to dishes of the Southwest, Mexico, India, North Africa and the Middle East. Popular in chili, it has contains chemical irritants similar to capsaicin contained in chiles.

MACE: Pungent version of nutmeg, this is the dried membrane covering the nutmeg kernel.

NUTMEG: Fragrance of the holidays, this inch-long dried, seedlike kernel of the fruit of the evergreen Myristica fragrans is native to Indonesia. It has a sweet, camphoric, mildly peppery fragrance reminiscent of cloves and is suited to goose, fruit desserts, and milk- or cream-based preparations such as custards, white sauces or eggnog.

STAR ANISE: Star-shaped, dried brown fruit of a small evergreen native to China, this spice has a licorice flavor similar to fennel. It is the flavoring for the French liqueurs Pernod and Patis, and is good with simmered and steamed poultry and in syrups for poaching fruit such as figs and pears.

TUMERIC: Powdered rhizome native to India has a mildly bitter-spicy taste. It is widely used in cooking and as a antiseptic, antiparasitic agent. Recent studies have also shown turmeric possesses anticancer and antioxidant properties. Cooking green vegetables with a pinch of turmeric will keep them greener for several days without loss of flavor or aroma.

2-1/2 ounces coriander seed
1/2 ounce fennel
1 ounce cumin seed
1 ounce fenugreek
8 cloves
8 cardamoms
2-1/2 centimeter cinnamon stick
4 bay leaves
1 stalk lemongrass
1-1/2 ounce rice
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 ounce black peppercorns
1/2 ounce red chilies
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Remove from heat and add turmeric.

Using a coffee grinder, grind all ingredients together to form a fine powder. Mix well and sieve the powder to remove any coarse granules. (Granules may be reground, sieved and added to mixture.)

Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup canola oil
4 cloves
4 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
5 black peppercorns, crushed
2 bay leaves (or 8-10 curry leaves)
2 tablespoons Curry Powder, recipe above
2 chilies, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons tomato mix (2 tomatoes, blended with 1-inch piece fresh grated ginger and 8 cloves garlic)
1/8 teaspoon salt, optional
3 to 4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-
size pieces
3 medium size potatoes, peeled, cut and coated with 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 cup tomatoes
3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

Add Curry Powder, chilies, chili powder, lime juice, tomato mix and salt, if desired, to chicken.

Add chicken to onions and stir on high heat for 1 minute. Potatoes can also be added here. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 to 8 minutes.

Tomatoes and yogurt may be added and stirred well before serving. Serves 8.

1 pound chilled rare roast or grilled beef, thinly sliced
1-1/2 pounds spinach, well washed and roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 red onion, peeled and sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup cashews
1 teaspoon minced fresh chili pepper
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon molasses
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Toast the cashews in a single layer in a sheet pan in a 350-degree oven until lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Allow to cool. Chop roughly, and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the chili pepper, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, molasses, sesame and olive oils, white vinegar, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, and mix well. Pour this dressing over the spinach-beef mixture, toss well, garnish with toasted cashews and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

1 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon water

Using tongs or a spatula, turn all the pieces and brown on the second side. Mix cloves and water and sprinkle over. Continue to sear the pears, turning and tossing, for 1 minute.

Pears may be serve hot or set aside up to 6 hours and serve at room temperature. Pears will keep up to 10 days in the refrigerator and may also be served cold.

Serves 4.