Ethiopian · sauce/condiment

Berbere Spice Blend

Name: Berbere Spice Blend
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Ingredients: 2 oz dried red chiles; 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp allspice berries; 1/2 tsp cloves; 4 cardamom pods; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1 tsp ginger; 1 tsp korarima Ethiopian cardamom; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 1 tsp salt

Berbere Spice Blend reads warm spice 6.7, floral 4.4 and salinity 3.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Ethiopian sauce/condiment, about 15 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 3.8 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 2.7 / 10
Sour & Bright — 2.1 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 2.4 / 10
Rich & Fat — 2.5 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 7.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Warm Spice 6.7 · Floral 4.4 · Salinity 3.6 · Allium 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Heat 2.5 · Nutty 2.3 · Sweetness 2.2 · Earthy 2.1 · Citrus 1.9 · Fruity 1.7 · Bitterness 1.7 · Umami 1.3

What's in it (12)

2 oz dried red chiles
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp allspice berries
1/2 tsp cloves
4 cardamom pods
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp korarima Ethiopian cardamom
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt

Time & effort: about 15 min · effort: easy

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 282.4 kcal, 9.9 g protein, 6.3 g fat, 61.7 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (4 steps)

Dry-toast the whole spices in a skillet until fragrant, then cool.
Grind everything together including the chiles, toasted spices, and dried ginger into a fine, vivid red powder.
Store in an airtight jar away from light.
Use to season doro wat, misir wat, and many other stews.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Durban Mutton Bunny Chow — South African · Durban Indian
Pilau ya Nyama ya Mbuzi (Swahili Goat Pilau) — Swahili Coast
Wali wa Nazi (Coconut Rice) — Swahili Coast
Cholar Dal (Bengal Gram with Coconut and Whole Spice) — Indian · Bengal
Svanuri Marili (Svan Salt) — Georgian

Keep reading: what warm spice, floral, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.