Ethiopian Berbere Spice Mix

Berbere spice mix is essential to Ethiopian cooking, along with the clarified spiced butter known as niter kebbeh. Berbere (ber-BERRY) is to Ethiopia what garam masala is to India.

I learned this berbere recipe while working as a sous chef at The Horn of Africa, an Ethiopian restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin.

A bowl of berbere spice mix
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Berbere, either as a spice mix or a paste is, more or less, the contents of your spice rack. The paste is mashed with cooked shallots and garlic and a little oil and water. What is an authentic recipe? Um, well, there isn’t just one. Berbere is like masala or a Bolognese sauce — every cook has her own version.

I learned about berbere many years ago, when I worked at The Horn of Africa. Knowing nothing about the cuisine — I was studying African history at the university — working there was an amazing experience that helped set me on the path I am on to this day.

Berbere makes its way into most Ethiopian recipes, notably abish wot, which I make as an Ethiopian venison stew, doro wot, a chicken dish, and my all time favorite, tibs. All are classic dishes from that country.

In fact, doro wot, a spicy chicken stew, is considered the national dish of Ethiopia. For hunters you’re in luck; remember Africa chickens tend to be old and tough —  so a pheasant or grouse would be a far better choice than a typical American chicken. If you are not a hunter, try to find a stewing hen, or at least a roasting hen.

Or you could use venison to make a version of segi wat, which is typically done with lamb.

Vegetarians will want to make my butternut squash curry, which is actually an Ethiopian rendition that uses a little berbere.

My boss at the time, an Eritrean woman named Meselesh Ayele, said a bride’s ability to make berbere factored heavily in whether she’d be a good wife. Dunno if that’s still true, but I can tell you she never shared the exact berbere recipe she used at the restaurant. I know the spices, just not the proportions.

Here’s what I came up with:

Close up of berbere powder in a spoon
5 from 2 votes

Ethiopian Berbere Paste

This is a berbere paste mix. You can make this into a dry berbere spice mix by using only dry ingredients. The paste should be kept in a cool place, the spice mix in a dark place. Either way, it will last a year or so. This recipe makes about 1 cup.
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Servings: 48 teaspoons
Author: Hank Shaw
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 12 whole cloves
  • 12 cardamom pods
  • 2 large shallots, minced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as peanut
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 3 tablespoons cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek
  • Water (see below)

Instructions 

  • Toast all the whole spices in a dry pan over medium heat until they are fragrant. Set them aside.
  • In the same pan, heat the oil and sweat the shallots and garlic over medium heat. Do not let them color. Turn off the heat and set aside.
  • Grind your whole spices in a spice grinder, then mix them with the powdered spices. In a mortar and pestle, add the shallot-garlic mixture and add the ginger. Pound it well for a minute or two. Start adding the spice mixture, pounding and mixing all the way, until you have a clay-like, brick red mix. You now have berbere in its most preservable form. 
  • In the fridge, I've kept this for a year with nothing noticeable happening to it. But, this is tough to use. So if you want to use your berbere now, start adding some water, a tablespoon at a time, to thin it out to the consistency you want. 
  • If you don't want to make berbere the old-fashioned way, you can put the wet ingredients in a food processor, add the spices and then drizzle in water or oil as you buzz it on low. Remember this stuff is ferocious. A little goes a long way.

Nutrition

Serving: 1teaspoon | Calories: 13kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 274IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!