The cuisine of Ethiopia boasts a diverse range of dishes, each with its own unique blend of spices that bring out the best flavours of different foods and seasoning. Spices are an essential part of Ethiopian cooking, and using too many or too few spices can ruin your dish completely! If you’re new to Ethiopian cooking, this article on cooking with Ethiopian spice blends will provide you with all that you need to know to make sure your food comes out flavourful every time.
If you’re looking to add some new flavours to your cooking repertoire, Ethiopian spice blends are a great place to start. These spices can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes and can be easily found online. When cooking with Ethiopian spices, be sure to start with a small amount and adjust to taste. And don’t be afraid to experiment – who knows, you may just discover your new favourite spice blend!
Ethiopian spices can be used in a variety of dishes, from stews to vegetarian fare. And, they’re relatively easy to find. Biber (also spelt berberé) is a hot chilli pepper mix typically made up of cayenne peppers, cardamom pods, fenugreek seeds, and other ingredients. The berbere spice mix is also available. It contains red pepper flakes and paprika among other ingredients. Kibbeh naye is a sweet cinnamon-based spice blend that goes well on breakfast pastries like doughnuts or pancakes.
When cooking with unfamiliar spices, it can be helpful to look for commonalities with flavours you already know. For example, many Ethiopian spices have notes of cardamom, cloves, and ginger. If you like these flavours in other dishes, you’ll likely enjoy them in dishes made with Ethiopian spices as well. It’s also important to consider how much heat your dish needs, since Ethiopian cuisine typically has less spice than others (for the sake of those who cannot tolerate spicy foods). But in this case, less is more! The key is not to add too much spice, or it will overpower the subtlety of the dish.
When cooking with Ethiopian spice, it’s important to take note of the scent, taste, and colour. This will help you create a dish that is both flavourful and visually appealing. Remember that Ethiopian cuisine isn’t always spicy, so use your taste buds as well as your eyes when cooking with these ingredients.
If you’re not familiar with Ethiopian spice blends, start simple, by picking up a berbere spice blend. Add it to dishes you already know and love, like spaghetti or chilli, and see how you like the flavour. From there, you can experiment with other Ethiopian spices like niter kibbeh (clarified butter), mitmita (chilli powder), and Shiro (chickpea flour). Who knows? You might find a new favourite dish! And remember, just because these spices come from Ethiopia doesn’t mean they have to be used only in African cuisine. You can use them in pretty much any dish you want-just keep experimenting! So what are you waiting for? Pick up Ethiopian spice blends today, and get cooking!
main photo: unsplash.com/Ratul Ghosh
