If you like life a little spicy, then you need berbere (bair-bair-eh) to be part of it. This building block of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine takes any dish from ‘hmm’ to ‘hooray’, adding complex flavours and aromas, plus a decent spicy kick. I use it in a spiced butter that’s drizzled over my Genfo Barley Porridge but there are so many other ways you can use it! See below for more ideas.
Makes: 1 cup
Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp chilli flakes
- ½ tsp salt flakes
- ½ tsp peppercorns
- 3 cardamom pods, seeds only
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- tiny piece nutmeg
- 2 cloves
Thermomix Method
1. Add all spices to mixing bowl and toast 7 min/Varoma/speed 1, then blend 45 secs/speed 10.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Traditional Method
1. Add all spices to a heavy-based frypan and toast gently, stirring often, until fragrant.
2. Transfer to a mortar and pestle, or coffee grinder, and grind to a fine powder.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Tips
- Use this Berbere as a dry rub for ribs, steaks or chicken, or add oil and use it as a marinade.
- Blend with butter and use on steamed corn cobs or in garlic bread.
- Berbere will keep for a month or two, then the flavours will be a little muted.
Variations
- Adjust chilli levels to suit your tastes.
More about this recipe
- Once you’ve made Berbere, you’ll want to use it in this delicious Genfo Barley Porridge.
- It’s great in my Emergency Lentil Soup.
- Try it in Butter Chicken – it will be spicier than usual!
- Put a sprinkle over the eggs when you’re making Khachapuri.
- Add it to the beef in this Cauliflower Hummus dish from Shane Delia.
- Sprinkle it over Grissini.
