In our latest Nibble video, Katmandu native Hari Prasad Lamichhane talks about popular items—from sweet hog plum to a dizzying array of dal—found in his store, New Bombay. Plus, a recipe for Tomato Timur Pickle!

Now that you know where to buy timur—one of the key spices in Nepali cuisine—here’s a bit more detailed information on the exotic ingredient. Also known as Szechuan pepper and Nepali pepper, timur are actually dried berries from a prickly variety of ash (Zanthoxylum alatum) that grows in the Himalayas. They may look like cloves, yet the flavor is citrusy and peppery—and when you bite… Read more…

Atenção! Brazil is coming to Somerville this Saturday and there will be ample opportunity to try Brazilian fare! At the Arts Council’s Brasileiro Festival (Union Square Plaza; Sept. 10, 3-7pm; free), people can nosh while soaking up the sounds of band Samba No Pé and witness a folkloric performance of a dancing bull known as Bumba Meu Boi.  Local market Pão de Açúcar and nearby Rodizio Grill will be selling Brazilian BBQ and classic dishes and snacks like coxinha (chicken croquettes) and pastel de frango assado (photo at left) also will be for sale.

Elizabete Delfino… Read more…

In this video Jahangir Kabir, owner of Well Foods Market, talks about goat meat, dates and spices—and how his store differs from local Indian markets. Don’t miss the bloopers at the end where Meagan O’Brien interviews a Lakka fish and Jahangir tells us about a product he carries that is so spicy, he won’t touch the stuff.

The future of the Well Foods in uncertain. Although Well Foods has a ten year lease, the landlord of the property has plans to turn the block into a 30-housing unit with first floor retail, within the next few years. If this happens,… Read more…

In our last few posts, we’ve been blabbing excitedly about subjects as far ranging as winter produce, Bollywood DVDs  and ginger’s lesser known cousin galanga. For this post, we stop typing and head to the kitchen to make a cooking video. We’re whipping up Ají de Gallina: a Peruvian spicy chicken in a creamy yellow pepper sauce. Join us! Our featured cook is Silvia de la Sota, who hails from Lima, Peru. Silvia first came to this country to enter a karate contest in Las Vegas. These days she lives just outside Union Square and has traded in her black… Read more…

If you don’t see what you’re looking for at La Internacional, just ask the shop keepers and they may start stocking the item for you. When Guatemalans Eduardo and Nora Cabrera opened the store back in 1989, they catered mainly to the local Spanish-speaking community. Within the following years, many Haitians came into the store, inquiring about products like yams and Akassan (a spiced cornmeal drink). So the Cabreras happily found these products and have been carrying them ever since. Check out this video to learn more about the store’s history and the numerous Latino and… Read more…