Name: Spice Rub for Chicken
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons ground cardamom; 3 tablespoons ground ginger; 2 tablespoons ground turmeric; 2 tablespoons ground cumin; 2 tablespoons ground coriander; 1 tablespoon ground allspice; 3 tablespoons ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper; 1 teaspoon ground cloves; 3 tablespoons fenugreek, ground (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted to figure out how to develop spice rub recipes tailored to particular foods and cuts of meat. First, we had to take into account the size of the food item to be cooked and make the rub stronger or lighter accordingly. Second, we had to match strength to strength in terms of taste—that is, we used earthier spices for meat, lighter ones for fish and chicken. We also categorized our spices: Cumin and coriander, for example, are good "bulk" spices for rubs while aromatic spices like cloves and cinnamon need to be used lightly in our spice rub recipes.