I’ve been using Baharat in a few dishes lately and enjoying it quite a bit. Baharat is an all purpose blend used in the Middle East and parts of North Africa. It turns out that each area has a slight variation in their spices. Since my most recent recipes used black lemons, I decided to go with a Persian gulf variation that calls for them. I made about a cup so I could have some pre-made for any other recipes that might happen to use it in the future. To heighten the spice’s aroma, you can toast to order for a recipe or just toast the whole batch in a hot pan before sealing in a jar.
Baharat (Middle East Spice Blend)
(Makes about 1 cup)
Printable Version
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup whole black peppercorn
- 1/8 cup whole coriander seed
- 1/8 cup cassia or 1/8 cup cinnamon bark
- 1/8 cup whole cloves
- 1/4 cup cumin seed
- 1 small black lemon, ground
- 1 tsp whole cardamom seeds
- 2 whole nutmegs
- 1 tbsp allspice berries
- 1/4 cup ground sweet paprika
Directions:
- Place all the spices except the paprika, ground black lemon, and nutmeg in a grinder and process until it becomes a powder.
- If necessary you can grind 1/2 cup at a time.
- Grate the nutmeg and blend this with the paprika and black lemon into the spices.
- Store in an airtight jar for up to 3 months.