LITTLE MISS TASTY

ETHIOPIAN BERBERE

Whole Spices

  • 1 Dried Chili Pepper*
  • 2 tsp Coriander Seeds
  • 1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
  • 1 tsp Nigella Seeds*
  • 1 tsp Ajwain Seeds*
  • 1/2 tsp Koraima Seeds*
  • 1 tsp Black Mustard Seeds
  • 6 Allspice Berries
  • 6 Peppercorns
  • 5 Cloves

Ground Spices

  • 4 tsp Sweet Paprika
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon*
  • 1/4 tsp Ginger
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Dried Bessobela*
  • 1 tsp Kosseret*
*Special Ingredient Notes:
  • Use any dried spicy pepper for heat--I just used half of a cayenne pepper because I didn't want mine to be too spicy. You can also just add 1/4-1/2 tsp ground cayenne to the ground ingredients instead.
  • Nigella seeds are also known as black seeds, if you can't find them you can sub with cumin seeds.
  • Ajwain may also be hard to find so you can sub caraway seeds and add dried thyme to the ground ingredients.
  • Koraima seeds come from black cardamom pods which you need to buy whole, break them open and discard the husks. If you can't find black then regular cardamom pods will do.
  • You can also break off 1/4 to half a cinnamon stick and add it to the whole ingredients instead of using ground cinnamon.
  • Bessobela is also known as Ethiopian basil--you can sub regular dried basil if you can't get it.
  • Kosseret is a lemon herb which is very hard to find or substitute for so just omit it if you can't get it.

Directions

  1. Toast whole ingredients in small frying pan over med-high heat, stirring/shuffling constantly for about 4 min, until lighter-coloured spices start to brown slightly.
  1. Grind toasted whole ingredients (plus besobela/basil and thyme if using) with a mortar and pestle into a fine powder--you can use a coffee grinder if preferred. Add ground ingredients and mix well.
Copyright Sheila Cook, Jan. 2021.