Specialty Ingredient Glossary
A growing reference for ingredients that may be unfamiliar to cooks encountering these dishes for the first time. Each entry points to the most useful explainer, recipe or Essential already on Fringe Table.
BerbereEthiopian and Eritrean chile-forward spice blend.Learn →Niter KibbehEthiopian spiced clarified butter.Learn →Egusi SeedsOil-rich melon seeds used to thicken and enrich West African soups.Learn →LahpetFermented tea leaves used prominently in Myanmar food.Learn →Timur PepperCitrusy, tingling Himalayan spice used in Nepali cooking.Learn →Devzira RiceRice associated with Uzbek palov and valued for absorption and grain separation.Learn →Sorghum LeavesTraditional waakye ingredient contributing color and character.Learn →HarissaNorth African chile paste used as condiment and flavoring.Make →EpisHaitian aromatic seasoning base.Make →Teff & InjeraTeff flour is central to traditional injera fermentation and flavor.Explore →Blue FenugreekA Georgian spice also called utskho suneli; linked here through lobio.See recipe →ChakuDark sweetener used in Newari yomari fillings.See recipe →Banana StemA mild, textural ingredient used in versions of mohinga.See recipe →Shiro PowderSeasoned chickpea or pulse flour used for shiro wot.See recipe →
Substitutions without pretending they are exact
Use the Guides directory for substitution and technique help. Fringe Table labels substitutions as adaptations when they materially change a traditional ingredient or method.