Berbere Recipe
- Small tagine
- 5 dried cayenne peppers
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns 15 mL
- 2 tsp allspice berries 10 mL
- 1 tsp cumin seeds 5 mL
- 1 tsp cardamom seeds 5 mL
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 5 mL
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 piece (1 inch/2.5 cm) cinnamon, crushed
- Using scissors, cut cayenne pepper pods into small pieces. In the bottom of a small tagine, spice wok or skillet, combine pepper pieces with peppercorns, allspice, cumin, cardamom, fenugreek, cloves and cinnamon. Toast over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly colored and fragrant. Remove from direct heat just as the seeds pop; do not let the spices smoke and burn. Let cool.
- In a mortar (using pestle) or small electric grinder, pound or grind toasted spices until coarse or finely ground.
- Store in an airtight (preferably dark) glass jar with lid in a cool place for up to 3 months.
