I have learned, mostly over years of reading cookbooks and watching cooking shows with my dad (of blessed memory), that one way to make spices really bloom is to heat them briefly in some olive oil. Last month, I made shakshuka for my entire book group, and I did not skimp one bit on the spices called for in the recipe. A double recipe of this shakshuka meant 4 teaspoons of sweet paprika, 2 teaspoons of cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon of the Serrano chili powder I discovered the last time I was in Napa. I mixed together all the spices and, when it was time, I slid them into the frying pan along with five cloves worth of chopped garlic.

I fried a large onion with two bell peppers, one orange and one red, and then pushed the vegetables to the perimeter of the frying pan once the onions were getting glassy. To the middle of the pan, slick with olive oil, I added the garlic and all the spices, plus some salt and pepper. After 30-45 seconds of gentle stirring, I added two large cans of pureed tomatoes plus another 1/2 cup of water that I used to rinse out the cans. I left the mixture to cook for 30 minutes, turned off the heat, and allowed it to rest for a few hours. When my guests arrived, I turned up the heat until the tomato mixture was bubbling. I cracked an egg into each of the dozen depressions I had made with my spoon, and covered the huge frying pan. After a short while, I began to check the eggs every few minutes until they were cooked through. 

I was a little concerned about cooking with that much heat, and had considered cutting the amounts, but something inside me just said, “Go for it!” I’m not gonna lie — it was spicy, and I was worried it might be too much for some of my friends. But everyone loved it! All my friends, even those with more tender palates. So now I’m hooked. I’m not going to be afraid to cook with more spice than in the past. 

Here’s another recipe that uses a generous helping of spices (though not nearly as hot as the ones in the shakshuka) to make a very delicious lentil dal. The original version of this recipe comes from The Staple Store under the name “Not so dal.”  

Ingredients 

2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp. yellow mustard seeds
2 tsp. sesame seeds
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. coconut (or brown) sugar
1 1/2 cups red lentils
14-oz. can of chopped tomatoes

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a medium saucepan until fragrant. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, paprika, mustard seeds and sesame seeds. Stir for 30 seconds only, and immediately add the red lentils, salt, sugar, chopped tomatoes, and two cans of water. 

Cook 30 minutes or until done, and serve. You can eat it plain, or spoon it over grains such as rice or quinoa. You can also jazz it up with a squeeze of lemon, some roasted sesame seeds, a dollop of coconut yogurt, or a sprinkle of coriander.