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5 from 1 vote

Berbere(ish) Spice Blend

An Ethiopian Blend of spicy, sweet, and citrus; great for stews.
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Keyword: Berbere, Ethiopian Spice
Yield: 0
Calories:
Author: Patty

Materials

Whole Spice (to grind)

  • 1/2 t ground from Coriander Seeds
  • 1/2 t Cumin Seeds
  • 1/2 t Green Cardamom Seeds
  • 1/2 C Dried Red New Mexico Chili Peppers
  • 1/8 t Whole Allspice Berries
  • 1/8 t Whole Cloves
  • 1/2 t Fenugreek Seeds
  • Black Peppercorns

Pre-ground Spice

  • 1/4 C sweet paprika do not use smoked paprika
  • 1 T kosher salt
  • 1 t ground ginger
  • 1 t onion powder
  • 1 t turmeric
  • 1/4 t nutmeg
  • 1/4 t garlic powder
  • 1/8 t ground cinnamon

Instructions

Mise en Place

  • Gather all the spices needed for this mix.
  • Gather measuring spoons + cups
  • Deseed the dry chilies (unless you can stand heat) and chop

Toast Whole Spices Before Grinding

  • Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat and toast all the whole spice until very fragrant. Shake regularly to prevent burning or scorching and then transfer to a bowl to cool completely.
  • Once cool, grind the spices using a coffee/spice grinder and pour into a bowl.
  • Then add the pre-ground spice to the bowl.
  • Store a lidded glass jar, and in a dark cool place or fridge. It starts to loose its impact starting at 6 months or so.

Notes

There are places that sell Ethiopian spices, and if it is a true Ethiopian place I would buy this spice there. However, this recipe will allow those of us without these specialty shops to make our own. Chef Olive, whose family has roots in Ethiopia, states that what goes into Berbere can vary by region, town and by family even.
This is a hot Ethiopian spice blend that includes many herbs and spices that are not well known in the USA, and some that grow wild in Ethiopia (like nigella seeds, ajwain, and korarima). Because of this, the recipe above is a similar to, but not the authentic recipe.
According to one source, Berbere is pronounced as bear-ber-AY.