Recipe No 131 spice blend

Berbere spice blend

This North African spice mix is used in the cuisine of Ethiopia, where some of the constituent ingredients grow wild. It compliments chicken particularly well but we’ve also tried it with potatoes to great success.

You’ll appreciate the benefit of making your own spice blend when the smell wafts from the kitchen.

Time

Prep:

Total:

Difficulty
very easy
Yield
2 serves • 14 g
Special equipment
spice grinder
Metric Imperial

Processes

  • Coriander seeds (3½)
    6.3 g
  • Cumin seeds (2½)
    5.3 g
  • Black peppercorns (¼)
    0.6 g
  • Cloves, whole (¼)
    0.5 g
  • Fenugreek seeds
    0.9 g
  1. 01
    Preheat oven to 170°C / 340°F.
  2. 02
    Roast whole spices in an oven-safe non-stick pan until lightly colored and aromatic, about . Agitate the pan every and check the spices are not burning.
  3. 03
    Transfer to a space grinder.

  • Thyme, dried (½)
    0.7 g
  • Ginger, dried (½)
    0.9 g
  • Nutmeg, finely grated (¼)
    0.6 g
  • Chili powder (¼)
    0.7 g
  • Ajwain, ground (optional)
    0.2 g
  • Salt (1)
    3 g
  1. 04
    Add to grinder.
  2. 05
    Grind to fine powder.

Notes

Connoisseurs will tell you that spice blends are better when made fresh, and we’ve found this to be case, too, though the benefit is marginal. In the context of a full menu, there is no doubt that making your spice blends ahead of time is a significant advantage. Of course, the freshness of the spices you use will also impact the result. Regardless of this, making your own blend will always be better than those you buy and is worth the effort.

Making ahead

Spice blends can be made ahead of time and stored.

Storing

keeps for several months in an air-tight container out of direct sunlight

Food pairings

chicken, potatoes, lentils

Categorisation

Category
spice blend
Meal
component
Cuisine
ethiopia north africa
Diet
lacto-ovo-vegetarian low carb low fat low protein vegan vegetarian
Tags
berbere ethiopia