Chapter Eight: Let’s Eat!

What is the mysterious sparkling powder that Elodie swipes from Uza’s little kitchen (bad Paladin!)? How to recreate Dust of Deliciousness in our sadly enchantment-free world? Without violating laws controlling the more…psychoactive substances? 

Here are two options to try, legally and with relative safety, at home. The first is all fire, smoke, numbing acid-pepper notes with a touch of the sea. The second is less about heat and more about darkly earthy umami punch. 

Dust of Deliciousness, spice it up a notch…

Makes approximately 2 cups.

This is based on Mandy Lee’s recipe for Helldust from The Art of Escapism Cooking. I take the lazy route, replacing home-made fried garlic with ready-made garlic powder. But feel free to start by deep frying your own golden and funky allium flakes. The resulting fragrant oil is a great reward for your extra effort. Then, because more is more, I add dried shiitake mushrooms. Also, as Waterdeep is a coastal city, I bump up the fishy umami factor with dried shrimp, bonito flakes, and kombu. 

Ingredients:

60g/1/2 cup Korean chile flakes

5g/1tsp fine sea salt

30g/2 tblsp white sesame seeds

5g/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns

5g/2 tsp ground cumin

2.5g/1/2 tsp curry powder

2.5g/1/2 tsp Chaat Masala

2.5g/1/2 tsp MSG

10g/2 tsp garlic powder

15g/1 tblsp roasted skinless peanuts

45g/3 tblsp dried shrimp

45g/3 tblsp bonito flakes (katsuobushi)

10cm/6inch piece of kombu, broken up

6 dried Shiitake mushrooms

Method:

1. Turn the stove to medium heat. In a small dry skillet, combine the chile flakes and salt. Toast, stirring continuously, until fragrant. Transfer to a blender or spice grinder. Wipe out the skillet.
2. Add sesame seeds and Sichuan peppercorns to the skillet and toast, stirring constantly, until the sesame seeds are light golden brown and the spices smell toasty. Add the cumin, curry powder, Chaat Masala, MSG, and garlic powder. Stir quickly, heating the ground spices through for another 30 seconds before transferring the contents of the skillet to the blender or spice grinder. Again, wipe out your pan.
3. Add the peanuts and dried shrimp to the heat, and toast these until fragrant. Add to blender or spice grinder.
4. Finally, add in the katsuobushi, kombu, and mushrooms to all the other ingredients in the blender. Grind until fully broken down into a vivid orange powder. Allow the dust to settle for a moment before opening the lid. Or risk inhaling a lungful of spice and heat. 
5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for a month or longer but will slowly lose potency. Be sure to tell me if you see any naked ghosts wandering through your home.

Notes: I found that dividing the toasting part of this process into several steps gave me more control. So that I was less apt to burn and waste ingredients. But, if you are feeling bold, you can probably attempt to do this all in one. Just start with the peanuts and then, as those reach nearly-perfect toastiness, continue to add ingredients to the same pan. Finishing with the powders that require the least time on the heat. 

Use this condiment on rice, eggs, ramen, popcorn, cocktails – anything really.

Dust of Deliciousness, forest forager variant…

Makes approximately 1 cup

Ingredients:

40g/1 cup dried porcini mushrooms

5g/1tsp brown sugar

2 allspice berries

4 juniper berries

2.5g/1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

5g/1tsp dried chopped onion/onion flakes

5g/1 tsp minced dried garlic

10g/2 tsp dried lovage

5g/1 tsp dried marjoram

1.25g/1/4 tsp dried thyme

1.25g/1/4 tsp MSG

3-4 black peppercorns

5g/1 tsp kosher salt

Edible glitter (pink) – optional, if you desire a sparkly, over-the-top result. It’s me so, of course I did.

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender or spice grinder.
2. Process until broken down into a smooth powder. 
3. Allow the powdery cloud to subside before opening the lid and, you know, breathing.
4. Mix in glitter to give your creation a magical shimmer certain to attract the attention of any passing Air Genasi.
5. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for a month or longer. 

Notes: This is really good stirred into a little hot chicken broth to give it a mushroomy depth. It also works well as a dry rub when marinading meats. And it is an awesome secret ingredient to add to potato gratin!