Printable Recipe Cards from Every Continent

Use the finely grated zest of one lemon plus a squeeze of its juice and a pinch of extra salt, added near the end of cooking. You lose some of the soft, fermented depth, but you keep the bright lemon note that preserved lemon brings. If you have a few weeks, salt-pickling your own lemons is easy.

Mix sweet paprika with cayenne for heat, then add small amounts of ground ginger, coriander, fenugreek, cardamom and black pepper. It will not taste exactly like an Ethiopian blend, which often includes local spices such as korarima, but it gets you close. Start mild and add cayenne to taste.

Ají amarillo has a fruity heat that is hard to copy. In a pinch, blend a roasted yellow or orange bell pepper with a little fresh hot chile, such as a seeded serrano, for both color and heat. Many Latin grocers and online shops sell the paste in jars, and it keeps well in the fridge.

Use light soy sauce with a small pinch of sugar, and season at the end, since soy is less pungent. For a vegetarian broth, soy sauce plus a little white miso adds the savory depth that fish sauce normally provides.

Yes. Filé, ground dried sassafras leaves, is an optional finishing thickener and flavor, stirred in off the heat. Many cooks use okra or a dark roux instead. Never boil gumbo after adding filé, because it turns stringy.

Yes, but the dish loses its smoky note. Pimentón de la Vera is dried over oak smoke, which is where that flavor comes from. If you only have sweet paprika, a tiny pinch of chipotle powder adds back a little smoke and heat.

All poultry, whole or in parts, including ground poultry and stuffing inside the bird, should reach 165°F (74°C). That applies to the chicken in tagine, doro wat, biryani and gumbo.

Steaks, roasts and chops of beef, pork, veal, lamb and goat are safe at 145°F (63°C) followed by a 3-minute rest. Ground meat and sausage need 160°F (71°C), which matters for the sausage in gumbo and feijoada.

FoodSafety.gov gives 145°F (63°C) for fish, or cook until the flesh is no longer translucent and flakes easily with a fork. Shrimp, crab and scallops are done when they turn pearly and opaque, and clams and mussels when their shells open.

Ceviche is cured in lime juice, not heated, so it never reaches the 145°F guideline. Lime changes the texture and color of the fish, but it is not the same as cooking. Buy very fresh fish from a seller you trust, keep it cold, make it the day you eat it, and choose a cooked dish instead if you are pregnant, very young, older, or have a weakened immune system.

Refrigerate cooked food within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if it is above 90°F (32°C), for example at an outdoor party. USDA calls 40°F to 140°F (4°C to 60°C) the danger zone, where bacteria grow fastest. Split a large pot into shallow containers so it cools quickly.

USDA advises eating refrigerated leftovers within 3 to 4 days, or freezing them for 3 to 4 months for best quality. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), and bring soups, sauces and gravies to a rolling boil.