Inspired by a recent visit to an Ethiopian restaurant, I’ve been reading up on Ethiopian cooking. I was excited by the spongy injera bread, the atomically spicy collard greens with cottage cheese, the beautiful lentils, the cool salad of potatos and herbs, and all the various vegetables, each in a unique, spiced sauce.
From my reading, I have learned that one of the staples of Ethiopian cooking is a hot spice mix called Berbere. It’s easy to make and promises to add excitement my to meals in the coming months. Try it!
Ingredients:
Group 1:
- 2 tsp. cumin seeds
- 4 whole cloves
- 3/4 tsp. cardamom seeds
- 1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp/ whole allspice
- 1 tsp. fenugreek
- 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
Group 2:
- approximately 1/5 cp. dried red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger root
Group 3:
- 1/4 tsp. turmeric
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 1/2 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Group 3, minus the ginger, which didn't make it into the photo somehow
Here are the steps:
- Heat all the spices from Group 1 in a frying pan on medium heat for about 2 minutes. They will produce a wonderful smell. Stir constantly to prevent burning. Set aside to cool for five minutes.
- Crush the spices from Group 2 (minced ginger and red pepper flakes) with a mortar and pestle, or in a spice grinder. Add in the cooled, toasted spices from Group 1. Grind everything finely.
- Mix the spices from Group 3 with the preceding ingredients. Transfer to a storage container and keep in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 1 month
.
Add it in any recipe that uses a hot spice. Add it to vegetables, beans and lentils, soups and stews…Enjoy!
*This is an adapted recipe from the cookbook, Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. It replaces some of the traditional ingredients with spices readily available in the United States. If you can find ajwain and rue berries, which are usually included, try them out. I’m on the lookout for them myself.
Keep it in the refrigerator!
