Most dispensaries in the country offer the same slew of sugary edibles: cookies and brownies, gummies of every flavor, chocolates, lollipops and the like.
When you make your own edibles at home, you have a great deal more control over the potency of your pot-filled foods — and you have the opportunity to experiment with some exciting ethnic recipes.
People have been putting weed in their food and drink for millennia.
Here are some of the oldest and most cherished reefer recipes from around the world.
Persian Mahjoon
Ingredients:
3/4 cups butter or ghee
1 cup dark chocolate, baking chocolate or cocoa powder
1 to 3 grams kief or hash (which you can pick up from a recreational marijuana dispensary in Michigan or harvest from your own grinder)
Sea salt to taste
1 cup mixed nuts (cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios and/or walnuts recommended)
1 cup dried fruit (figs, Medjool dates, banana, and/or apricots recommended)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 cup honey
In a medium pan, melt the butter and chocolate together.
Add the kief and simmer on low heat for 10 to 20 minutes. Salt to taste.
In a blender or food processor, blend the nuts, dried fruit and spices together until it is a coarse, ground mixture.
In a large bowl, combine the chocolate mixture and blend of fruit and nuts. Add the honey and stir together.
Mahjoon can be used as a spread on crackers or toast, or it can be rolled into 1-inch balls and eaten as snacks, like small truffles.
Indian Bhang
Ingredients:
2 cups water
14 grams fresh cannabis flower and/or trim
3 cups warm milk
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 teaspoon ground anise
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon rosewater
1/2 cup honey
Heat the water to a boil, remove from heat and add the cannabis, allowing the plant material to steep for about seven minutes.
Strain out the cannabis plant material using a cheesecloth, squeezing to extract as much liquid as possible.
Collect the water and set aside.
Grind the cannabis plant material in a mortar and pestle with 2 teaspoons of milk.
Continue to grind, squeezing the material to extract the milk.
Continue until you have added about 1/2 cup of milk.
Using cheesecloth, separate the plant material and reserve the milk.
Combine the water and milk together with the unused warm milk, spices, rosewater and honey. Mix well, chill and serve.
Cambodian Happy Soup, or Cannabis-infused Samlor Machu
Ingredients:
4 cups water
1 to 2 grams kief or hash
1 whole small fish, chopped in to 5 to 6 pieces (including head and skin)
2 stalks lemongrass, sliced thin
2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 to 3 green onions, chopped into large pieces
2 to 3 cilantro stems, chopped into large pieces
5 to 6 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon organic sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
Juice of 2 to 3 small limes
2 to 3 whole bird’s eye chilis
1/4 white onion, chopped in fine strips
Seasonings to your taste:
Fried garlic
Cilantro leaves
Green onions
Fish sauce
Lime wedges
Bring water to a boil and add all ingredients except chilis, onions and seasonings.
Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until fish is cooked through. Taste and add more fish sauce, sugar, salt or lime to taste.
Add chilis and simmer for another 10 minutes, adding the white onion in the final few minutes of simmering.
Serve in individual bowls with a side of white rice, and add seasonings per individual taste.
American Pot Brownies
Ingredients:
6 1/2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chocolate
4 grams cannabis flower
Heat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120 degrees Celsius).
Melt the butter and chocolate slowly in a stovetop pan, mixing the two until combined.
In a medium bowl, add the eggs, sugar and flour until combined.
Pour the butter and chocolate mixture into the flour mixture, and add the cannabis flour.
Bake in a greased pan for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
You don’t have to travel the world to experience cannabis culinary excellence — though you might want to after you sample these delectable recipes.
As long as you have an adventurous spirit and some talent in the kitchen, you can bring the world of cannabis culture into your home.