Berbere (Ethiopian and Eritrean Chili Powder)

Berbere is a spice mixture which traditionally includes Chili Peppers, Ginger, Garlic, Dried basil, rue, white pepper, black pepper and Fenugreek. I probably would not have found Berbere in the local market here however I wanted to nevertheless make my own Berbere to add to my spice cabinet for easy reach. My mum-in-law mentioned that the Ethiopian cuisine is not complete without this spice mix. Otherwise it would taste more Indian if we used the regular Chili Powder. In any case, the dry red chilis I used here were Indian. The lady who worked for A's family in Ethiopia used to make Berbere afresh for their use in Ethiopian cuisine.

Berbere

To make this spice,


You need:

• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 8-10 dried red chilis
• 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 whole cloves
• 3/4 tsp cardamom seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp whole all-spice
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds

The make:

Cooking Time: 3 minutes | Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Makes 1/2 cup

• In a skillet, on medium heat, dry roast the cumin, whole cloves, cardamom seeds, peppercorns, all-spice, fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds for 2-3 minutes, tossing around consistently. 

Dry roasted spices

• Remove from heat and cool for 5-10 minutes
• Discard the stems from the chilis
• Grind the roasted ingredients and then blend in the remaining ingredients. 

Ground spices

• Store the Berbere in an air tight container in a cool, dry place or if the weather is not conducive you can refrigerate as well.

Berbere in an air tight container

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