Ingredients
Chillies and aromatics
- 150 gdried mild red chillies (Eritrean berbere chilli, or Kashmiri), stalks and most seeds removed
- 20 gdried hot red chillies
- 1small onion, sliced paper-thin
- 6garlic cloves, sliced
- 1thumb fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 tbspfresh rue leaves, tena adam (optional)
Spices
- 2 tbspcoriander seed
- 1 tbspfenugreek seed
- 1 tbspajwain (nech azmud)
- 1 tbspnigella seed (tikur azmud)
- 1 tbspkorarima (Ethiopian black cardamom), pods discarded
- 1 tbspdried besobela (sacred basil) leaves
- 1 tspblack peppercorns
- 1 tsplong pepper or allspice berries
- 8cloves
- 1short cinnamon stick
- ½ tspground turmeric
- 2 tbspfine salt
Directions
- Wearing gloves, split the chillies and shake out most of the seeds; the seeds carry raw heat and cloud the colour.
- Spread the chillies, onion, garlic, ginger and rue on trays and dry in full sun for two to three days, bringing them in overnight, until everything snaps rather than bends. In a domestic oven, 60°C (140°F) with the door ajar for 4–6 hours does the same job.
- Dry-toast the coriander, fenugreek, ajwain, nigella, peppercorns, long pepper, cloves and cinnamon one spice at a time in a small pan over low heat, 1–2 minutes each, only until each smells. Fenugreek turns bitter the instant it browns, so pull it early.
- Toast the dried chillies last, 30–40 seconds in the dry pan, tossing constantly, until they smell sweet and smoky and darken a shade. Any black patch means starting that batch again.
- Cool everything completely on a cold tray. Grinding warm spices makes a paste, not a powder.
- Grind the chillies together with the dried onion and garlic to a fine powder in small batches, then grind the toasted spices, korarima and besobela separately.
- Combine with the turmeric and salt and sieve twice through a fine mesh, regrinding whatever stays behind, until the powder is uniform, deep brick-red and silky between the fingers.
- Seal in a jar and rest a week in the dark before using. It holds its colour and perfume for about six months.
Technique
- Berbere is a blend, not a chilli powder: roughly two thirds chilli to one third spice, and the dried onion and garlic are what make it read as Eritrean rather than as generic hot powder.
- Korarima and besobela are the two signature notes. Without them the mix drifts towards a North African harissa powder.
- Grind with a window open and a mask on. Airborne capsaicin from 170 g of chilli is genuinely fierce.
- Sun-drying is traditional and gives a sweeter, fruitier result than oven-drying, which tastes more roasted.
Substitutions
- No korarima: use green cardamom plus one crushed black cardamom pod at half the quantity, accepting a more camphorous edge.
- Besobela can be replaced with dried Thai holy basil; ordinary sweet basil is too soft to register.
Variations
- Awaze, berbere slaked to a paste with oil and a splash of dry wine or honey wine, used as a table condiment.
- Mitmita, the hotter coarser cousin: bird’s eye chilli, korarima, cloves and salt, with no onion and no fenugreek.
History
Ground from sun-dried chilies with fenugreek, korarima, ajwain and rue seed; chilies reached the Horn through Portuguese Indian Ocean trade after 1500.
Frequently asked questions
What is Berbere?
Berbere is a sauce & condiment from Eritrea: fiery red chili and spice blend that colours and defines Eritrean stews. Ground from sun-dried chilies with fenugreek, korarima, ajwain and rue seed; chilies reached the Horn through Portuguese Indian Ocean trade after 1500.
How long does Berbere take to make?
Berbere takes 30 min of preparation and 2–3 days drying + 20 min toasting of cooking. The recipe makes about 250 g, one large jar. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Berbere?
Yes, within limits. No korarima: use green cardamom plus one crushed black cardamom pod at half the quantity, accepting a more camphorous edge. Besobela can be replaced with dried Thai holy basil; ordinary sweet basil is too soft to register.
What is the most important thing to get right in Berbere?
Spread the chillies, onion, garlic, ginger and rue on trays and dry in full sun for two to three days, bringing them in overnight, until everything snaps rather than bends. In a domestic oven, 60°C (140°F) with the door ajar for 4–6 hours does the same job.
