Berbere Spice Mix

Makes: About 3 oz. (6 tablespoons) of spice blend

Berbere is an Ethiopian/Eritrean spice blend that makes for a great dry rub for meats, or as seasoning for stews and curries. It’s traditionally meant to be very spicy, and this version is moderately-so, but you can always adjust the flame meter on the recipe below.

Ingredients

Note: There is no hard-and-fast rule about which spices need to be ground or whole; I just used what I had on hand.

GROUP A: WHOLE SPICES

• 1/2 tsp cardamom seeds (equivalent to 2 large de-shelled pods)

• 5 cloves

• 2 tsp red chili flakes

GROUP B: GROUND SPICES

• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 2 tsp coriander

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp fenugreek

• 2 tsp allspice

• 1 1/4 tsp red chili powder (not paprika)

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

• 1/2 tsp ginger

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp turmeric

Method

• Grind down the whole spices using a coffee grinder or a pestle & mortar. Mix in with the ground spices and store in a jar in a cool, dark place.