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Berbere

Berbere is a hot pepper seasoning essential for most Ethiopian dishes. You can buy it at some African and Middle Eastern Stores. Here are three, untried, recipes for it from the African News Cookbook.

Ingredients

Berbere 1

  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 6 cardamon pods
  • 1/2 tsp. whole black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. whole allspice
  • 1 tsp. whole fenugreek seeds
  • 1/2 cup dried shallots
  • 3 oz. long red dried chilies
  • 3-6 small dried hot chili peppers
  • 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp. turmeric
  • 2 tsp. salt

Berbere 2

  • 1 tsp. ginger ground
  • 1/2 tsp coriander ground
  • 1/2 tsp cardamon ground
  • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds ground
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg grated
  • 1/4 tsp. cloves ground
  • 1/4 tsp. allspice
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 1 2/4 cup cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 cup paprika
  • 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Berbere 3

  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • 3 tbsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Instructions

Berbere 1

  1. Makes 1 cup.
  2. In a small frying pan, combine cumin seeds, cloves, cardammon pods, black pepper, allspice and fenugreek. Cook for about 1 minute over medium heat, until lighted toasted. Put mixture in a blender and add shallots. Grind finely. Discard the stems and seeds from the chilies. Break up the pods and process until ground. combine with the toasted mixture and the rest of the spices.

Berbere 2

  1. makes 1 1/2 cups
  2. Toast ginger, cardammon, coriander, fenugreek, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and allspice together in low heat for about 4 or 5 minutes, stirring. Add slat, cayenne pepper, paprika, black pepper and continue cooking for 10' to 15', stirring constantly. Cool.

Berbere 3

  1. For smaller quantities
  2. combine spices