Berbere

Berbere Spice Rub and Paste

This spice blend Berbere is a pronounced as “ber-beray”. It is a popular Ethiopian blend with a coarse earthy texture. Berbere adds wonderful spiciness when used as a rub for red or white meats for roasting, grilling, barbecuing or pan-frying. Use it as a paste to flavour stir-fries, soups, casseroles or use it as a base for curry.

Recipe for Berbere Spice Rub

10 dried red chillies

8 white or green cardamoms

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

8 cloves

1 tsp allspice berries

2 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp ajowan seeds

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tbsp salt

1. Discard the stalk end and some, of the seeds from the chillies.

2. Heat a heavy-based frying pan. Bruise the cardamom pods and add them to the pan with the cumin, coriander, fenugreek, cloves, allspice, peppercorns and ajowan seeds. Toast the spices, shaking the pan over a medium heat, until they give off a rich aroma and just begin to turn colour.

3. Remove the seeds from the cardamoms and then grind all the roasted spices to a fine powder. Mix in the ginger, nutmeg and salt.

4. Use at once or transfer to an airtight jar and store away from strong light; alternatively place in an airtight polythene container in the freezer.

Makes 1/2 cup

Berbere Spice Paste Recipe

Fry a finely chopped onion in 1 tbsp oil, with1 tsp of mild paprika and 3 tbsp of the dry Berbere spice mixture. Fry for five minutes and either use immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate for up to two weeks. See the following recipe for another version of berbere as a spice paste.

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