Berbere, as the word is commonly used, is a fiery red Ethiopian spice mix that gives Ethiopian wots (stews) their characteristic flavour and, without which, a wot is just not a wot!
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Table of contents
Berbere is in fact, the general Ethiopian word for pepper, as in Kundo Pepper, which refers to black pepper. The word kundo doesn’t actually mean black, but I’ll be here all day if I started explaining that too!
Ok, ok, it means main. So the theory is that long before there was berbere or any other hot mixes, there was black pepper, and so it is the main pepper! Get it?
This is how the word is pronounced:
Ber – be – ray, with the emphasis being on the first syllable, sounding out the r.
Authentic Berbere Recipe?
As with any good spice mix, there are many, many versions and variations of this beautifully spicy mix, according to the cook and perhaps the cook’s mood! Seriously, don’t you sometimes do things differently because you’re feeling chirpy? Or not, as the case may be? I certainly “cut corners” when I’m not in a good mood – but shh, don’t tell anyone!
The most basic of berbere mixes will start out with dried chillies, garlic, ginger, Ethiopian cardamom and salt. On top of that, you can add any number of additional spices for a fuller flavour and aroma. So what I’m going to do, is give you the recipe for my mix. It has heat, warmth, depth, a slight tingle and an amazing fragrance. I tend to stick with this formula, only very occasionally, adding something extra.
I shall, however, suggest additional herbs spices that are traditionally used. If you get your hands on them, I encourage you to do so, for the true flavour. Then you can experiment to your heart’s delight when you feel like it. What I shall also do is give you the option of either
- Dry roasting your whole spices, then grinding them in a coffee/spice mill yourself, for an incredible depth and aroma. OR
- Buying all the spices ready ground and just mixing them all up, which will be a 5-minute job!
I tend to make it from scratch, preferring the fresher flavour and aroma, as I was taught in the Ethiopian restaurant I once cooked in. You can read a little of that in my Injera post. However, I do occasionally, go for the ready made chilli powder route, as it’s so much easier. I shall give you the instructions for both.
How to use Berbere
As mentioned above, it is the spice mix in so much of Ethiopian cooking, as well as the cooking of Eritrea and even Somalia. No self respecting Ethiopian home cook is going to be without this spice mix in his or her kitchen.
You can also use it in your other stew recipes, curries and rice dishes. And it is fantastic in salad dressings and as a topping on canapés, as well as on fruit and vegetable salads. And any chilli mix, like the Japanese Togarashi Shichimi, is going to be awesome mixed with mayo!
Sometimes, I love adding it to Chilli con Carne.
Berbere Ingredients
Korarima, Ethiopian Cardamom (image above) in Berbere
I had to start with this as, chances are, you won’t be able to get your hands on these little seeds. You can read more about them here, and where to get them online, if you are in the UK. In the US, if you don’t have an African shop nearby, do an online search, and I bet you will find a store or two that stocks them.
So, for today’s berbere recipe, if you can’t get korarima, use ordinary cardamom plus a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, plus a twist of freshly ground black pepper.
Chilli Powder or Dried Chillies in Berbere
Clarification first: every single time I see an explanation for chilli powder written on an American website, it is described as chilli peppers mixed with other stuff. To most of the rest of the world, chilli powder, is just that – chilli peppers in powdered form, nothing else added. What Americans would call ground cayenne or cayenne powder.
To say that cayenne powder is hotter than chilli powder is just plain wrong, because it rather depends on what types of chilli were used to make that powder. For eg, I have dried scotch bonnets from last year’s harvest. If I were to ground them to a powder in my spice mill, that would be a seriously hot chilli powder, no? And that’s what we call it – chilli powder, whether in Asia where I grew up, or here in the UK, where I’ve been living for over 20 years.
So when I say chilli powder, that means powdered chilli peppers, plain and simple. Nothing added.
Berbere is a spicy mix, so whatever chillies you use, make sure that they have a bit of heat in them, how much heat, does depend on your tolerance level. You have to make your wots so you can eat them, right? So get a medium hot variety if you can’t stand too much heat in your food or go for a hot version if that rocks your boat.
To make your berbere completely from scratch, we need to seed our dried chillies, dry toast them on the stove, then grind them to a powder. Dry roasting them lends a touch of smokiness to the chillies and therefore, the chilli powder.
If you are going down the store bought chilli powder route, which will not have that roasted flavour, I suggest adding smoked hot paprika to the mix, in a ratio pf 1:3, that is 1 Tbsp paprika to every 3 Tbsp of chilli powder. It’s unconventional, but it works so, so well; I was taught never to use paprika.
Allspice, Jamaican Pepper in Berbere
An essential ingredient in Caribbean and Middle Eastern cooking, allspice, as its name suggests, gives you the aroma of so many spices in one. I like to add some allspice berries in my berbere, because it lends touches of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to the mix. Click here to read more about it. If you can’t get allspice, just leave it out and play around with the other spices as mentioned in the recipe below.
Now, let’s take a look at how to make Berbere at home! And once we’ve mastered that, we shall move on to the most famous of Ethiopian recipes – Doro Wot, as you see below!
If you like the recipe, don’t forget to leave me a comment and if you’re feeling like a star, that 5-star rating! Thank you!
And if you make the recipe, share it on any platform and tag me @azlinbloor.
Lin xx
Berbere, Ethiopian Spice Mix
Equipment
- measuring spoons
- spice mill
- small jar to store
Ingredients
Method A
- 20 dried red chillies non smoked variety, seeded, and broken into 2-3 pieces
- 2 African long pepper (piper capense, Timiz) leave out if unavailable
- 10 black peppercorns
- ½ tsp korarima seeds or regular cardamom seeds
- ¼ tsp ajwain (bishop's weed seeds)
- 10 allspice berries
- 1 tsp passion berries leave out if unavailable
- ½ tsp rue (herb of grace, Tena Adam in Ethiopian) (ruta graveolens) leave out if unavailable
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
Method B
- 3 Tbsp hot chilli powder
- 1 Tbsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp ground African long pepper
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground korarima seeds or regular cardamom seeds
- ⅛ tsp ground ajwain
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground passion berries
- ¼ tsp ground rue (herb of grace, Tena Adam in Ethiopian)
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
Additional Ingredients
- dried holy basil
- cumin
- onion powder
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- cloves
- fenugreek
Instructions
Method A
- Toast the dried red chillies in a small frying pan over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan constantly, until you can smell them and they give off a spicy, smoky aroma. They will turn a darker colour, but don't let them burn. Set aside on a plate to cool.
- In the same frying pan, dry toast the rest of the whole spices, that is, the korarima (coriander) seeds, the coriander seeds, the peppercorns and the allspice berries. Shake the pan constantly, moving the spices and toast for 2-3 minutes until you are hit by a beautiful aroma. Leave to cool on a plate for 5 minutes.
- Place the chillies in a spice or coffee mill and grind to a smooth powder. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl.
- Next add all the whole spices into your mill and grind to a smooth powder. Add to the chilli powder.
- Now, add the ginger, garlic and turmeric to the spices in the bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Ta-da! You have yourself a make-from-scratch berbere spice mix! Transfer to a clean, dry jar and keep in your spice cupboard or pantry. Will be fine up to 3 months, but its potency will decrease over time, as with all spices.
Method B
- Mix everything together in a small jar and store in your spice cupboard, as above.
Just a clarification please:
You list ‘African Long Pepper’ as an ingredient… Which type are you referring to? Piper Capense covered with tiny peppercorns like loose Indian long pepper OR Xylopia Aethiopica (Grains of Selim/Senegal Pepper/Diarr) with a ‘smooth’ pod – both wonderful but different distinct flavors.
Otherwise, looks like a wonderful mix and I definitely want to try!
Hi Tim, I’m definitely talking about Piper Capense, aka Timiz, Ethiopian long pepper, the rough looking one.
Let me know what you think of it and how you use it.
I’ve been meaning to update this old article in a very long time, hopefully after the new year.
Thank you for the clarification!
I have used Ethiopian Long Pepper for many recipes (Ethiopian and not)… I love its mild, smooth, very slightly sweet ‘pepperiness’ and warm (as opposed to sharp) aftertaste. A wonderful substitute for both black pepper and Indian long pepper when you want a less pungent hit. I will give your Berbere recipe a try, and will use it in making all sorts of wots and meat dishes – will let you know!
Hi,
Thank you for the recipe,
There is no mentioning of the additional ingredients or how much of them to use?!
Thank you
Hi Mado, it’s a pleasure. The additional ingredients are there just as a suggestion. You don’t really want to use every single one of them to make Berbere. The idea is that if you make it often enough, in small quantities, you’d chop and change some of them.
I would suggest using a quarter teaspoon if you are using whole seeds (like for fenugreek). If you are using ground spices already, like say, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, then use a generous pinch.
It is a matter of taste, to a very large extent. I am not a fan of nutmeg, so it’s a spice that I never use.
Thank you. These are slightly different from the Somali berbere I make ( about 2# at a time because I share it) – going to try these and compare! Do you have a recipe for berbere that is prepared as a paste instead of dry spices?
Hi Camille, let me know what you think.
When I need a wet Berbere paste, I just add a little water, lemon juice or melted melted niter kibbeh, depending on what I need it for.
Homemade niter kibbeh recipe: https://www.linsfood.com/ethiopian-spiced-butter-niter-kibbeh/
Wow! A very detailed info and amazing picture +Azlin Bloor
Looks so appetizing. Very nicely described about Cayenne and Chilli powder.
Thank you!
Another good post about food from my home, I thank you.
Thank YOU!
I’ve always wanted to learn how to make this! I actually was going to go to the market to buy the already made spice but I think I’m going to try it using this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, April!
Very interesting post with lots of information and ideas . I love Ethiopian food and was lucky to have a restaurant cross the street from my old home… Going to stock up my pantry with some unique Ethiopian flavors, using you spice mix recipe! Thanks !
Thank you Tatiana, the food is just lovely, isn’t it?
Is green cardamom the standard? I love to learn about different world cuisines, especially African, which I don’t know much about! I’ve been once to an Ethiopian restaurant and really enjoyed it! Must try out to make some at home, and this spice mix is a great place to start! I’ll do as you say and add a touch of smoky paprika…;) even though it’s not in the traditional recipe. Sounds fantastic and punchy!
Yes indeed. When a recipe calls for cardamom, it usually refers to the green variety. If you mean in Ethiopian recipes, than the standard is theirs, korarima. I better read that sentence again and make sure it’s clear!
Ah, what another fantastic post, Chef! I love coming to your blog for the recipes and valuable insights. Thank you, since I saw your Ethiopian clarified butter post, I’ve been patiently waiting for the doro wot, getting close I see!
Thank you, Mel. It’s coming!
Oh man….this spice rub sounds amazing. Lots of GREAT flavours happening, and I can just imagine them together. Would be awesome in so many recipes. Homemade spices are the best.
It certainly is, thank you!
Wow! I had this zucchini dish at Whole Foods and they used an Ethiopian spice (not sure if it was this) but it taste so good and made me realize how I need to expand my seasoning pantry! Thank you for this!! I cannot wait to try this !!
A pleasure, thank you!
This is really great! I don’t think I have come across a Berbere post in this much detail. It’s obvious that you know your stuff! I will be making this and look forward to the Doro Wat
Thank you so much, Jemmy. I was lucky enough to have cooked in an Ethiopian restaurant for a year, that’s where the knowledge comes from!