Habanero Chile

Naranja agria (sour orange) gives this Nicaraguan grilled chicken its signature tang, but you can fake it using an orange and lime juice combo.

Comfort and flavor are at the heart of this velvety squash and plantain soup loaded with aromatics and topped with a crunchy apple garnish. 

Breakfast or dinner? You get to pick with these one-pot curried chickpeas and eggs bursting with tingly heat and herbaceous flavor. 

The ultimate comfort food but with a Caribbean twist, this shepherd’s pie has a savory and spicy beef base with a creamy potato topping.

Pepperpot is a Guyanese dish of braised meat flavored with casareep (a spiced syrup made from cassava). It reheats well and is ideal for making several days ahead.

Cool as a cucumber, sure, but it’s the citrus, ginger, and chile that will keep you coming back sip after sip.

This traditional Haitian chicken stew is packed with flavor thanks to the mainstay spice blend known as epis.

Epis, the punchy, peppery Haitian seasoning, gives this iconic dish its complex flavor profile.

This creamy Senegalese rice and lamb dish combines peanuts, okra, and black-eyed peas to build beautiful West African flavors in a comforting one-pot meal.

All the flavors of Ayesha Curry’s mom’s braised oxtails, repackaged as a festive prime rib roast.

Sure, pickled cucumbers are great. But have you tried pickled cauliflower? Its crunchy brightness makes for an ideal counterpoint to rich dishes.

This herby, peppery blend is used as a seasoning for many traditional dishes from Trinidad and Tobago.

Obe Ata is a Nigerian sauce that incorporates floral habanero chiles and bell peppers. This recipe uses obe ata as the base for a spicy, warming chicken and sweet potato stew. 

Shrimp, unlike chicken or steak, can take on the flavors of a bright, acidic marinade in minutes, making it a good choice for last-minute grilling.

Before you panic about the habaneros—we've got a trick in this recipe that mellows out the spice. A lot.

The shrimp is even better when it’s grilled.

This thin red sauce gets its name since you can frequently brush or "mop" it onto a variety of foods for an extra kick of spice.

When you're working with chiles, you should be wearing rubber gloves. Sound funny? Well, it won't after you accidentally touch your eyes.

Chiles and pineapple? Believe it or not, this sweet/spicy mix is insanely refreshing in drink form.

Splash liberally on fried eggs, toss with grilled veg, or spread on a sub.

Looks like a perfectly innocent bowl of apricot jam, burns like a bright and fruity pepper jelly.

Aguachile is a chile and citrus dressing that’s often paired with raw fish. You’ll want to drink this veggie version right from the platter.

In search of a classic tuna melt? This is the best we’ve tried. Palace Diner makes its own pickles, but of course you can start with store-bought.