Berbere – Aromatic Ethiopian Spice Blend

This flavorful, aromatic seasoning blend says a lot about the cook who mixes it. I regard this spice mixture less as a formula and more as a way to express myself. I start mine with plenty of dried chili pepper, as is traditional, but then I add a healthy dose of korarima, because I love the nutty, herbal notes it adds. My mother’s berbere was heavy on serrano pepper, basil, and tiny nigella seeds, infusing her cooking with a signature spicy bite. While I welcome the grow-ing number of grocery stores that carry berbere in the spice section, I find that many of them overdo it on the paprika and cumin, giving food a much flatter taste. Feel free to use my recipe as a starting point for yours, adding more of any flavors you want to emphasize, while decreasing or omitting any you may dislike. 

Berbere – Aromatic Ethiopian Spice Blend

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

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Servings

2 Cups

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1 cup paprika
• ½ cup cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons Ground Roasted Korarima recipe follows or ground cardamom
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fine sea salt
• 1½ teaspoons ground cloves
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
• 1½ teaspoons ground fenugreek

Instructions

• In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together and transfer to an airtight jar.

Notes

Storage- Store at room temperature for up to 6 months.

To Make The Ground Roasted Korarima

Korarima—an Ethiopian spice related to cardamom—is a defining flavor in my food: Its complex, nutty, floral quality perks up so many dishes. When you first purchase korarima, it will most likely come in little seeds that you need to grind into a powder to use in my recipes. Here is how I get the most flavor out of these tiny seeds. You can use as many or as few seeds as you have; vary the pan size accordingly.

To makes about ¼ cup

Use About ⅓ cup korarima seeds

Warm a medium nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the korarima seeds and roast until shiny and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate or bowl and let cool completely.

Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind into a powder. Transfer to an airtight container.

Storage- Store at room temperature for up to 3 months.