Traditional Berbere Spice Blend (በርበሬ)
Servings: 8 tbsp (1/2 cup total)
Calories: 27kcal
Cost: $0.15
Berbere is an essential seasoning in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine, and can be used as all-purpose spice blend in any savoury recipe that calls for warm spices.
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Ingredients
- 5 dried red chili peppers
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika (see Note 1
) - 1 tbsp paprika (see Note 1
) - 1 tbsp ground dry ginger
- 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 5 korarima pods or 2 tsp powder (*can sub black cardamom)
- 2 timiz (*can sub 2 tsp black pepper)
- 7 whole cloves
- 2 allspice berries
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp nigella seeds
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ whole nutmeg
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp mace
Instructions
- Optional: Toast the whole spices in a dry saucepan on low heat for a couple of minutes. Let cool.
- Add all the ingredients to a spice grinder or high-speed blender and blend until finely ground.
- Store berbere spice blend in an airtight container, at room temperature for up to 6 months, or in the freezer for up to 2 years.
Notes
- If you would like a hotter berbere, swap out the paprika with more dried chili pepper.
- The ingredients are listed in order of importance. If you don't have some of the items near the bottom of the list (particularly the ones that are only 1 or 1/2 tsp), feel free to leave them out.
Nutrition
Calories: 27kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 1407IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg