Spices are an imperative element to Indian cuisine. What would a curry be without the warm fragrancy of garam masala, or a chutney without the peppery bite of coriander? These spices create the beautiful aromatic depth that Indian food is known for. At the long-standing family-run restaurant Tikka House in the River Market, rows and rows of Cambro tubs are filled to the brim with almost any and every spice you can think of.
“[The restaurant] grew from just a table of spices to now almost a thousand of them,” says Zade Alhabashi, whose mom, Manal Alhabashi, opened Tikka House in 2005. “There’s a bunch more upstairs. It’s like a rabbit hole.”
There’s the basics—paprika, garlic powder, curry powder, parsley and the like. There’s also common blends like Italian seasoning and herbs de Provence. Then there’s the more specialty blends, which go by names like Buddha Belly, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Bomb Diggity and Slap Yo Mama.
Tikka House makes custom blends for tons of restaurants and food operations around the city, like spice mixes for pickling companies and top-secret rubs for barbecue teams.
“I think that’s what makes us unique,” Zade says. “Anyone can come in here and get a custom spice blend. We also cater to dietary restrictions and have a salt-free section.”
Zade is Manal’s oldest son, and along with helping the family business, he sells spices with his brother, Laith, at the Overland Park Farmers’ Market under the vendor name Bazaar Spice.
Many of Tikka House’s and Bazaar’s spices are brought in from out of the country. Manal travels to her home country of Jordan every couple of months to seek out and bring back spices and seasonings of great quality. There’s a lot of counterfeit spices out there, and the Alhabashi family knows how to suss them out.
Take, for example, saffron, the beloved and expensive bits of red flower revered in Indian cuisine and known for its unparalleled earthy and floral flavor. Zade says you can test the quality of saffron by dipping it in water. If it stains the water, it’s been treated with a red dye and is an inferior product. When you buy saffron from Manal, rest assured she is worth her salt, so to speak.
“It looks like an episode of Narcos,” Zade jokes. “She travels back with duffel bags filled with kilos of saffron.”
For those who patron Tikka House for their spice haul, you’ll write down your order on one of the clipboards near the restaurant’s entrance. An employee will scoop your chosen spices in bags and deliver them to the cashier. While you’re waiting, you can order one of the restaurant’s popular menu items: samosas and tikka masala. As for Bazaar Spice, you can find Zade and Laith with their colorful spices at the Overland Park Farmers’ Market beginning this month. (It should be noted that the market will take place at the Matt Ross Community Center (8101 Marty St., Overland Park) while the pavilion undergoes renovations). Zade hopes to eventually open a deli where he can also sell his spices.
Five Spots To Grab Lassi In KC
Lassi is a simple and refreshing beverage that has a smoothie-like texture and is great to cool off with in the warmer months. The creamy, frothy drink is one of the most popular in India. It’s traditionally a blend of yogurt, water, milk or cream, and sometimes spices or fruit.
Here’s where we recommend grabbing a glass:
Korma Sutra
12112 W. 87th St. Parkway, Lenexa kckormasutra.net
Seva Cuisine of India
8674 N.E. Flintlock Road, KCMO sevacuisineofindia.com
Raj Express
11721 College Blvd., Overland Park rajexpressop.com
World Fresh Market
10303 Metcalf Ave,, Overland Park worldfreshmarketkc.com
Taj Mahal
