dontmissmyplate 6/14/20 dontmissmyplate 6/14/20

Berbere Spice

This is an easy homemade berbere spice blend you can use in a variety of recipes.

Berbere is central to Ethiopian dishes and adds a unique, depth of flavour. You can use the seasoning on roasted vegetables, in soups, stews, and even in desserts. I have an oatmeal recipe that uses the spice blend here.

As I have said before African cuisine doesn’t have to be complicated! You can also borrow some elements of it. This recipe a staple I recommend always keeping at home!

Ingredients

1/4 cup paprika

1/2 cup chili powder or ground New Mexico chilies

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon mustard powder or fenugreek powder

Instructions

Mix all the spices together and store in an air-tight glass container.

dontmissmyplate 6/14/20 dontmissmyplate 6/14/20

Berbere-Spiced Cherry Chocolate Oats

This sweet and spicy combo is brought to you by the wonderous breakfast vehicle the oatmeal bowl! I love them because they are versatile, rich in fiber, and you can have fun with the toppings as well as with infusions.

Africa is a vast continent with many cultures within it that take a lot of time and care to make their dishes, partly because cooking is a social event. However, that doesn't mean all the dishes are difficult and time-consuming. You can also borrow elements and apply them to all kinds of food.

On that note, I add berbere to the oatmeal, a seasoning I've made before. It's a spice blend that is a mainstay in Ethiopian cuisine. It's a complex, rich, seasoning that is typically used in savory dishes to add depth of flavour but can be applied to desserts as well. I decided to add it to an already known pair that works - cherry and chocolate!

The cocoa powder and spicy berbere blend together seamlessly, and with the added cherries and brown sugar. Try it out!