Recipe Note
What is Berbere Spice? The Secret Behind Ethiopia’s Soul Food
Flatbread, thick stews, spicy meat specialities, lentils and the most colourful and rustic meals. That’s the spirit behind a wholesome Ethiopian meal. The East-African country, in the Horn of Africa, stands out for its diversity, with at least eighty different ethnic groups, each making of the country’s cuisine an authentic collage of flavour.
Berbere spices just taste like Ethiopia, and you’ll love them! And although Ethiopian food is astoundingly varied, some things bring it together to create a perfect image of Ethiopian cooking. Here’s what you need to know.
The History of Berbere Spices
Let’s start by saying berbere spices shine for their versatility. They bring life to meat, chicken, legumes and veggies. Sweet, warm spices come together with spicy ingredients for a well-rounded spice mix that makes Ethiopian food taste as it does — it’s delicious! The word “barbere” means hot in Ethiopian, and it gives its name to the spice blend.
Ethiopia was once a critical stop in the spice trade during the fifth century, and it was in that period where Asian spices found their way to the African region. And although there are several commercial brands carrying berbere, most Ethiopian homes make their own blends. It’s from these unique spice combinations that Spice Masters got the inspiration for the Berbere Spice Mix.
Ethiopian food is often served centre table, and it’s always meant to be shared. And because of the strict Orthodox Church prevalent in the African country, lent periods have led to the development of many vegan dishes — of course, all flavoured with herbs and spices, and that’s where Berbere comes in.
Food is more than nourishment in Ethiopia. The time spent around the table has immense significance for the community, and every dish is festive.
How to Use Berbere Spices?
Using berbere spices is easy. The spicy and aromatic combination of sweet, spicy and savoury elements makes the seasoning mix the perfect rub for grilled meat, oven-roasted lamb and roasted poultry.
Berbere will also give a thrilling personality to lentils, fava beans and meat stews, and it’s, of course, attractively compatible with vegetarian and vegan dishes, which benefit from the spice’s mild heat.
Stir in a few teaspoons of berbere spice mix to stir-fries or sautéed ingredients to add depth of flavour to your cooking. From mildly flavoured dishes to exotic flavourful stews, berbere is one of the most straightforward spice blends in the grill and the kitchen.
Berbere, A Perfect Combination of Flavours
What makes berbere unique is a combination of twelve ingredients, all of the highest quality, from comforting cumin, cardamom and nutmeg to exciting ajwain and tropical allspice. In the right proportions, every spice plays a role in this harmonious blend. For the tastiest combination, try Spice Masters Berbere.
1. Chilli
One of the most crucial elements in any berbere spice mix is hot peppers, which add heat to the combination without being overpowering. The heat sensation balances the sweet scents in brown spices, making berbere the perfect seasoning for people who enjoy hot flavours that are never too intense.
2. Celery Salt
Celery salt, just like regular salt, enhances the food’s flavours and gives it a more defined flavour profile. Celery salt is mild and generous, as it adds aromatics and green notes to the spice blend. Light elements like celery salt are critical to balance a spice blend, especially with chilli peppers.
3. Black Pepper
Freshly cracked black pepper is aromatic and pungent; it provides warmth to the spice blend and is particularly compatible with red meat and lamb. Black pepper is used worldwide for its affinity with other flavours, and the berbere spice blend is no exception.
4. Cumin
Cumin is one of the most cherished spices in the Horn of Africa. Also known as kalonji, Ethiopian black cumin is a unique spice grown by family-owned farms around the land-locked country. The ground seeds add a slight bitterness and earthy undertones to hearty food.
5. Coriander
Some experts agree coriander’s origin lies in Northern Africa, although today, it’s widespread. Often grown in the Arsi zone in southeast Ethiopia, coriander is grown extensively in the country, and both the leaves and the seeds play a role in the country’s cuisine. Coriander seeds add refreshing aromatics with citrus undertones to berbere.
6. Fenugreek
Fenugreek takes its name from the Latin term for “Greek hay”, and it has been used in Ethiopia since antiquity, where it’s sometimes known as abesh. Fenugreek offers the most subtle scents reminiscent of maple syrup, and the sweet scent contrasts with the spicy elements in a classic berbere.
7. Cloves
A little goes a long way with cloves, which are intensely aromatic and can overpower a spice blend. In berbere, the number of cloves is just right and provides warmth to the spicy mix. Cloves’ flavour shines through in every dish seasoned with berbere, but it plays a supporting role rather than a dominant flavour.
8. Allspice
Allspice is a Caribbean spice widely used in the New World. The aromatic spice found its way to the Levant region thanks to Spanish spice traders, and it became popular in the Arab world. Ethiopians, spice lovers by excellence, soon adopted the tropical spice and made it their own.
9. Ajwain
One of the most interesting Ethiopian spices known as thymol seeds, bishop’s weed, or carom. People use the leaves and the dried fruit in Ethiopian food for their similarities with thyme. Ajwain is also used in traditional medicine, although more research is needed in that area to determine the spice’s health benefits.
10. Ginger
Locally known as Gingibaar, the aromatic rhizome is used fresh and powdered in many Ethiopian recipes, as it adds freshness and floral aromatics to the food. People have cultivated ginger in Ethiopia since the 13th century, and it’s one of the most widely used base ingredients for all kinds of preparations.
11. Cardamom
Korarima, or Ethiopian Cardamom, is part of the ginger family, and it might have arrived in the African country from Sri Lanka in the 12th century by spice traders. Bakers use cardamom in the country to flavour bread, but it’s also a vital ingredient in the famous berbere mix.
12. Nutmeg
Nutmeg is used in both berbere and mitmita, Ethiopia’s two most essential spice blends. The heartwarming scents of the spice are known for rounding up berbere nicely, contrasting the spice blend’s heat. Nutmeg is native to Indonesia, and it found its way to Ethiopia during the spice trade era.
Berbere is Larger Than Life
Berbere is absolutely wonderful as a dry rub and condiment for every strongly flavoured meal. Meat is compatible with the spice blend, but so are colourful vegan and vegetarian dishes. Cooking with berbere is easy, especially when you have the right combination of herbs and spices.
