Berbere | Ethiopian Spice blend is a spice mixture that includes aromatic spices used in the cuisines of Ethiopia. Using the whole spice brings more flavor to Berbere. It is quite difficult to get the spices in all supermarkets. You have to look for Asian stores, online stores, or Indian grocery to find these spices. If you love International cooking, you can invest in these spices. These spices are mostly used in many countries like Mexican, Indonesia, Indian, and most Asian countries.

The whole spices bring more flavor, if you cannot spot the whole spices you can go ahead and prepare with the ground spices you have. If using whole spice, first dry roast the spices on medium heat to bring the flavor. The spices stay long if stored in an airtight container. The berbere powder can be used in all Ethiopian dishes like dooba wat, misir wot,…You can look for the recipes coming up in this blog soon.

Food for the thought

“Life is better when you stop criticizing the faults, instead, look for the beauty in the flaws.”
– Unknown

Benefits of the ingredients (source)

Each spice has its own benefits will list important ingredients
Turmeric: contains curcumins, with powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
Ginger: Has powerful medicinal properties. Treats nausea, strengthens the immune system, and increases appetite.
Cinnamon: Lowers the level of blood sugar.

Video for Berbere | Ethiopian Spice blend

Steps for preparing the spice blend

Dry roast the whole spices.

Grind to a fine powder.

Mix the ground spices and blend one more time to mix well.

Store in an airtight container.

Variations

For variations, If you don’t find whole spices you can look for ground spices and mix.
You can omit fenugreek seeds, cardamom, and cloves if you find difficulty getting them.
Choose black cardamom rather than a green one if you find it.

Other spice blend you may like

Jamaican spice blend in Vegan Jamaican curry

Ethiopian recipe

Tikil gomen | Ethiopian cabbage

Questions/Tips

What is Berbere powder? How it is prepared?

Berbere powder is a traditional spice of Ethiopia. They are mostly in the dry ground form. It is hot and spicy. To bring more aroma, dry roast all the ingredients and grind them. Mix the ground spice and give a mix.

What are the spices used in Berbere powder?

The whole spices used in berbere powder are

Coriander seeds
Fenugreek seeds
Cumin seeds
Whole pepper
Allspice ( I didn’t use this)
Cardamom
Cloves
Red chilies

Ground spices are

Paprika
Nutmeg
Ginger
Cinnamon
Turmeric
Salt

What should I do if I don’t have whole spices?

You can use ground spices if you don’t have whole spices, but the aroma will not be as flavorful as whole spices.

Can we make Berbere powder with the ground spices?

Yes, we can prepare with the ground spices too.

How long does the spices stay good?

The whole spices stay long up to an year. But after combining all the spices in berbere powder, it stays good in the refrigerator for 6 months.

How can I use the leftover berbere powder?

You can use the Berbere powder in any vegetables, lentils. If you like to use spices in any curry or vegetable just dash with some spice, it will taste extraordinary.

What should I use to grind spice powder?

You can use coffee grinder, dry spice grinder, or high speed blender to make a fine powder. Once blend, wash the grinder immediately to remove the hot and flavor of the spice.

Storing Berbere powder

Store Berbere powder in an airtight container. It stays good outside at normal tempeature for one month, and can be refrigerated for 6 months and stays on the freezer for an year.

Recipe card for the Berbere | Ethiopian spice blend