Hawaij

Ingredients

For soup

• 6 tbspcumin seed
• 2 tbspblack peppercorns
• 2 tbspcoriander seed
• 1 tbspcardamom pods
• 1 tspcloves
• 2 tbspground turmeric

For coffee

• 4 tbspground ginger
• 2 tbspground cinnamon
• 1 tbspground cardamom
• 1 tspground cloves
• 1 tspground fennel

Directions

1. There are two blends under one name and they are not interchangeable. One is savoury, built on cumin and turmeric, for soups and meat; the other is sweet and aromatic, built on ginger and cardamom, for coffee.
2. Buying a jar labelled simply hawaij is a gamble, which is the main reason to make both yourself.
3. For the soup blend, toast the cumin, peppercorns, coriander, cardamom and cloves together in a dry pan over a medium heat.
4. Toast them for about 3 minutes, shaking the pan continuously, until they darken a shade and smell strongly.
5. Toast the whole spices but keep the turmeric well out of the pan. Turmeric is already dried and cooked and it scorches into bitterness within seconds.
6. Cool them completely before grinding.
7. Grind them cold. Warm spices go oily in the grinder and clump into a paste instead of a powder.
8. Grind to a fine powder, shelling the cardamom and discarding the pods first if you want a smoother blend.
9. Stir the turmeric in at the end, off the heat and after grinding.
10. For the coffee blend, simply mix the ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and fennel together, with nothing toasted at all.
11. Store both in airtight jars away from the light, and label them clearly, which is less trivial advice than it sounds given how alike two yellow powders look.
12. Use the soup blend in lamb soups, in haneeth and in stews, and the coffee blend by the half teaspoon in coffee or tea.

Technique

• Proportions vary from household to household and the ones above are a starting point rather than a canon.
• Ground fresh it is far better than anything jarred, and it fades noticeably within about three months.
• The soup blend is the base seasoning of Yemeni cooking in the way garam masala is in India.

Substitutions

• Pre-ground cumin and coriander, at real cost to the flavour.
• Nutmeg in place of the fennel in the coffee blend.

Variations

• With dried lime ground into the soup blend.
• With saffron added to the coffee blend.
• The Israeli Yemenite version, which usually carries more turmeric.

History

Two mixes share the name: cumin, turmeric and pepper for stews, ginger and cardamom for coffee.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hawaij?

Hawaij is a sauce & condiment from Yemen: yellow spice blend for soups; a sweeter version scents coffee. Two mixes share the name: cumin, turmeric and pepper for stews, ginger and cardamom for coffee.

How long does Hawaij take to make?

Hawaij takes 15 min of preparation and 5 min of cooking. The recipe makes 2 jars. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Hawaij?

Yes, within limits. Pre-ground cumin and coriander, at real cost to the flavour. Nutmeg in place of the fennel in the coffee blend.

What is the most important thing to get right in Hawaij?

Toast the whole spices but keep the turmeric well out of the pan. Turmeric is already dried and cooked and it scorches into bitterness within seconds.