The true secret to mastering Eastern Mediterranean cuisine lays in the spices. We built a recipe template for an All-purpose Baharat blend to use with any Middle Eastern recipe. Find out how to make your own baharat spice blend.
Aromatic and savoury, with a satisfying Middle Eastern essence, our Baharat spice blend is an adaptable, simple way to turn a ho-hum dinner into a “make again, please!”.
Once You Try Our Spice Blend, You'll Never Go Back To Store-Bought.
Our Baharat spice blend is such a breeze to throw together. It’s also one of every Mediterranean Mama's favourite back-pocket tricks for transforming a few simple ingredients into something ultra-flavorful and satisfying.
Not only is it quick—you can whip up a batch in a few Minutes—Your own Baharat will always taste best because you can adjust the spice proportions to your suit your family's tastes.
Think of this baharat as simply a place to start.
Traditionally the baharat evolves to reflect the home it was made in—isn’t that sort of a nice thought?— No matter what happens in this crazy life your family will always be able to have a taste of home with one bite, that's the power of baharat.
We love that! Take this recipe, and make it yours.
What is Baharat Spice?
Baharat Is an Arabic word that means “spices.” All Arab-populated Mediterranean countries use their own regional blend with their own signature flavour profiles.
It's safe to say that Baharat is to the Eastern Mediterranean like the garam masala is to India.
This ubiquitous blend differs from region to region, and sometimes kitchen to kitchen. Here are some of the most common regional flavour profiles in the Mediterranean:
Levantine (Palestine, Syria, Jordan, & Lebanon), Greece, Egpyt, Turkey: Allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, mint, fennel, saffron, Fenugreek, Tumeric, mahlab, mastic, rosebuds sumac, za'atar, dried lemons, oregano, marjoram, thyme, bay leaf, and Dukkah
Libya & Tunisia: Caraway, Coriander, Tumeric, Cumin, mint, fenugreek, Cayenne (hot & sweet) Harissa, galangal, Cinnamon, black, and white pepper
Algeria & Morocco: Tumeric, Ginger, cinnamon, ras el hanout, cumin, paprika, coriander, saffron, mint, mace, cloves, fennel, anise, nutmeg, rosebuds, cayenne pepper, fenugreek, and black pepper.
How to Make your own:
- Start with fresh spices. This is really the most important step of all, and it holds true for anything you cook. Ground spices, lose their potency quicker than whole spices. Therefore, it's better to use whole spices, but I created this recipe for ground spices to make it easier for you.
- Decide how much you need. Our recipe makes just shy of ⅔ cup. Depending on how often you use baharat, you may want to double or even triple it. This recipe use be enough for 4-5 meals
- Measure the spices into a bowl, and gently stir them together until they are evenly combined.
- Store! A tightly-sealed mason jar is a great way to store your baharat, or a Ziploc bag with the excess air pushed out of it works, too. Anything airtight will help it stay fresh and spicy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
What can I use Baharat with?
Just about everything! Baharat blends are perfect for savoury dishes and work very well with chicken, fish, beef and in soups and stews. It’s also very tasty on top of roast vegetables.
What can I use instead of Baharat?
Seven spice is a great alternative to own baharat blend and can be used interchangeably with any recipe calling for Bharat.
Is baharat the same as Ras el Hanout?
Definitely, you can! Also some spices like dried ginger, turmeric and galangal need to be ground before adding to the blend.
How to know select spices?
Fresh, flavorful spices can bring a meal to life—and old or expired spices will do the opposite.
Look at the colour of the spice you’re buying. It can be a great indication of the age of the spice. Brilliant, vibrant hues indicate freshness, whereas dull, muted colours can indicate that spice has been sitting there for a while and has lost its punch.
Where to buy fresh spices?
It's best to find a store with a high turnover of spices since most of the spices at most supermarkets can be up to seven months old already. Purchasing online and at a busy bulk store, is your best bet for good spices.
Whatever You Put This Baharat on, We Want to Hear About it!
Post a picture to Instagram and tag @Deliciously.Mediterranean and #deliciouslymediterranean so we can oooh and ahhh along with you. Happy eating!
Baharat - Middle Eastern Spice Mix
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Coriander
- 1 tablespoon Allspice
- 1 tablespoon Cinnamon
- 3 tablespoon Cumin
- 4 tablespoon Paprika
- 1 tablespoon Ginger
- 1 tablespoon Cardamon
- 2 teaspoon Cloves
- 2 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon rose petals optional
Instructions
- Measure the spices into a bowl, and gently stir them together until they are evenly combined.
- Store in a tightly sealed jar in a dark cool place.
Hind
Lovely post, Sarah!
Well written and helpful tips. Keep up the great work.