A complex, brick-red spice blend of dried chilies, fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, and over a dozen aromatics, the soul of Ethiopian cooking.
Ingredients
100g dried guajillo chilies, stemmed
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp cardamom seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
6 whole cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp allspice berries
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Instructions
1Remove stems and seeds from dried chilies. Toast them in a dry skillet for two minutes until fragrant and pliable.
2Toast coriander, fenugreek, cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, cumin, and allspice separately until each is fragrant.
3Let all toasted spices cool completely to room temperature before grinding to prevent moisture from forming.
4Grind toasted chilies first into a fine powder, then add remaining toasted spices and grind together thoroughly.
5Add turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to the ground mixture and blend until uniform in color and texture.
6Store in an airtight container away from light. Berbere improves in flavor for the first week and keeps for months.
Did You Know?
Ethiopian families traditionally prepare their annual berbere supply together, with the recipe varying from household to household as a source of family pride.