A delicious spice blend to nourish your health
Mounds of freshly ground and colorful traditional spices, including Fenugreek, by The Sacred Science
In my house, we love to kick our dishes up a notch with spices and herbs from around the world, but we find ourselves coming back to some of the same blends time and time again.
Today I want to share one blend that we keep returning to… Berbere Spice.
Berbere spice is a blend of herbs that originates from Ethiopia and Eritrea. This unique mixture is used in almost every Ethiopian soup or stew you will come across.
Aside from being very distinctive and flavorful, berbere features one of my favorite medicinal herbs of all, fenugreek. Fenugreek is one of the oldest known medicinal herbs and has been used in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments such as loss of appetite, constipation, bronchitis, insomnia, diabetes, hormone balancing, and now, cancer.
Ancient Chinese medicine labeled fenugreek a “Yang tonic” and other cultures also believe that consumption of the seeds improves sexual function in men and increases milk flow in nursing mothers. A poultice containing fenugreek seeds mixed with warm water was traditionally used to relieve muscle pain and to reduce swelling.
This is a true power herb blend and it tastes amazing in curries and other spicy dishes.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 tsp. ground fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 tbsp. ground dried chiles
- 1/4 tbsp. paprika
- 1 tbsp. sea salt
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions:
- Simply combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix together with a fork.
This spice can be used in marinades, sprinkled on veggies, and to add heat to any dish that could use a little kick. Toss a couple pinches of berbere over a fresh salad for an unexpected (but delicious) touch of heat.
No wonder this recipe has been used for thousands of years in Ethiopia – it’s delicious and it packs a serious healing punch!