Using Spices

Using the right - and the right amount of - spice can make the difference between an OK meal, or a fantastic meal. Chicken is one of the most versatile meats on the market today. It's a staple in places like Trinidad, India, China, Lebanon, Yemen and many other eastern nations. Chicken is inexpensive and tasty - depending on what you do with it.

Here's a spice that takes a few minutes to combine, but once you blend it and try it, you'll see that chicken is NOT simply chicken.

HAWAISH (Spice Mix)

It is hawaish, the spice mix, that gives Yemen cooking its identity. All the spices are mixed proportionately and stored, to be easily measured out for recipes.

2 Tbs ground cumin
1 Tbs pepper
1/2 tsp coriander, ground
1 tsp turmeric, ground
4 whole cloves, broken up
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp nutmeg, grated
2 bay leaves

Mix all of the ingredients together. Store in a glass jar with a tight cover. Keep the 2 bay leaves in the mixture to keep the spices dry and clean. Do not include the bay leaves when using the mixture.

Hawaish Chicken

2 Chicken Breasts - Bone in
Hawaish Spice
Oil

Oil the bottom of a pie tin. Sprinkle the chicken breasts with the Hawaish spice, and place in oiled pie tin. Place the tin in your BBQ'er. If you have a propane grill, use the flame from only one side. Place the pie tin over the side with no flame, with the flame from the other burner on high. Close the lid. Chicken should be done in about 25-30 minutes. Serve with your favorite rice recipe, or whatever suits your taste.

Bells Poultry Seasoning

Mix 1 teaspoon of each.
dried rosemary
dried crumbled sage
dried marjoram
dried thyme
celery salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 well crumbled bay leaf

Crush together with a mortar and pestle, or grind together in a coffee bean grinder, or in a mini food processor