Berbere Spice

A foundation blend of Ethiopian cooking, built on chilli pepper and paprika with ginger, garlic, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and nutmeg. It is deep brick red, hot without being searing, and the fenugreek gives it a bittersweet finish no other chilli blend has.

Chilli delivers the signature warmth, harmonised by the smoky sweetness of paprika and the aromatic sharpness of ginger and garlic. Fenugreek introduces the mild bitterness that rounds the blend out, cumin and coriander add rich earthy tones, and cinnamon, cardamom, clove and nutmeg finish with subtle sweetness and floral spice.

How to use it

It is the base of doro wat, the Ethiopian chicken stew, and works equally as a rub for meats, a seasoning for roasted vegetables, or an ingredient in soups and sauces. Use two to three tablespoons for a stew serving four. Technique tip: cook berbere into slowly softened onions with plenty of fat for a good ten minutes before any liquid goes in. Underworked berbere tastes raw and dusty, and this long fry is what turns doro wat dark and glossy.

The shaker jar

The jar option is packed in a clear 8 oz shaker jar made from lightweight, food-safe PET, so the colour and texture of the blend are visible at a glance. The flip-top cap opens to a three-hole sifter for an even sprinkle straight over the pan, the grill or the plate, and closes again with a simple press. A pressure-sensitive liner seals the jar until first use, and the fitted cap keeps the blend fresh between uses. When a recipe calls for a measured spoonful, simply unscrew the cap; the wide mouth takes a teaspoon with ease. Once empty, the jar is easy to refill with your next Ameen blend and makes a practical home for dried herbs, chilli flakes, sesame seeds or homemade rubs. Hand wash only.

Details

Also known as

Berbere Seasoning, Ethiopian Berbere, Berbere Mix, Abyssinian Powder, Ethiopian Red Pepper Blend, Berbere Ethiopian Spice Mix