Berbere (Ethiopian Chili Spice Blend)
Local name: በርበሬ
In short: A toasted and ground blend of chili, paprika, fenugreek, ginger, garlic and warm spices, the red heart of Ethiopian stews, lentils and tibs. It takes about 15 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 28 kcal
Berbere is the backbone of Ethiopian cooking, a deep red blend of dried chilies, paprika, garlic, ginger and warm spices such as fenugreek, coriander and cardamom. Every family has its own recipe, and the best are toasted and ground fresh. It colors and flavors wats, lentils and meat dishes, and mixed with oil and water it becomes the dipping paste called awaze. This home blend is balanced and medium hot, and easy to adjust to your taste.
Instructions
- Toast the fenugreek, coriander, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, nigella and cloves in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan, until fragrant and just darker. Do not let them smoke.
- Tip the spices onto a plate and cool for 5 minutes. Grind them to a fine powder in a spice grinder.
- Mix the ground whole spices with the paprika, cayenne, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt.
- Sift if you want a very fine powder, then pack into a clean, dry jar. Store in a cool, dark place.
Tips
- Adjust the heat by trading cayenne for paprika. Real berbere often includes Ethiopian cardamom (korarima), rue and ajwain, and a little extra green cardamom is a fair stand-in.
- Toast gently. Scorched fenugreek turns bitter and can spoil the whole batch.
Questions and answers
What is berbere used for?
It seasons wats, lentil and chickpea stews, tibs, eggs and meat rubs. Mixed with oil and water it becomes awaze, a dipping paste.
How hot is berbere?
It ranges from medium to very hot depending on the chili you use. This blend is medium hot, and you can use less cayenne for a milder mix.
How long does homemade berbere keep?
In an airtight jar away from light and heat it keeps for 3 months. The aroma is strongest in the first 6 weeks.
How long does it take to make Berbere (Ethiopian Chili Spice Blend)?
About 15 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 5 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Berbere (Ethiopian Chili Spice Blend)?
About 28 kcal per serving, with 1 g of protein, 4 g of carbohydrates and 1 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 28 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 4 g |
| Fat | 1 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 380 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
