Chow Categories: Mixes, Sauces * Yield: 1 cup

       1 cl Garlic; sliced
       1 ts Fresh gingerroot; grated
            -or ground ginger
     1/4 ts Caraway; ground
     1/2 ts Cardamom; ground
     1/4 ts Mustard seed; ground
     1/4 ts Avish; ground 
     1/4 ts Coriander; ground
     1/2 ts Tumeric; ground
     1/3 c  Water
     1/4 ts Fresh hot red chili
     1/4 ts Paprika

Bulatovich:

... In former times, the food of the Kaffa consisted of meat, milk, and porridge made of the seeds of various bread-grain plants. Nowadays, they eat almost exclusively bread made from the roots of a banana-like tree (that same musa enset), since that is the only food stuff they can obtain after the general destruction.

This bread is prepared in the following manner: once a tree has attained four years of growth, they dig it up and strip off the leaves; then they bury the thick lower part of the trunk in the ground and leave it there for several months. After this time, it begins to rot and turn sour. Then they extract the buried tree from the ground, clean off the spoiled outer layer, and scrape and grind the part which has turned sour and soft. Then they bake it in large earthenware pans. This bread is not very nutritious. It is unsavory and has an unpleasant sour smell. If you add flour to it, then the bread is somewhat improved.

As a supplement to this food, they serve various roots, cooked in water, and also coffee, which they drink several times a day, up until and after eating. They boil coffee in earthenware vessels and pour it out into little cups made of ox horn.

The favorite drinks of the Kaffa are beer and mead. The beer is very thick and strong, but prepared without the stupefying leaves of the gesho, in only one malt. The beer is also very thick and sour.

Household utensils are the same as those of the Abyssinians -- except for earthenware jogs, which are oblong and similar to ancient Greek vessels, and are of a more beautiful form than those of the Abyssinians.

Ethiopian Spice Mixture:

1 tsp Ginger 
1/2 tsp Cardamom 
1/2 tsp Coriander 
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds, ground 
1/2 tsp Nutmeg 
1/4 tsp Cloves 
1/4 tsp Cinnamon 
1/4 tsp Allspice 
2 tbl Salt 
1 1/4 cup Cayenne pepper 
1/2 cup Paprika 
1 tsp Black pepperVARIATION (a lesser amount can be 
MADE 
1 tsp Ground ginger 
3 tbl Cayenne pepper 
1/4 tsp Ground cloves 
1/2 tsp Cinnamon 

All spices are measured, ground up. In heavy saucepan, toast all spices and then add salt and cayenne, paprika and black pepper. Continue shaking the pan and toasting spices 10 minutes. Cool and store in tightly covered glass container. This will keep in the refrigerator for 6 months. Combine spices. This will make 3 tablespoons in quantity.

	Web sellassie.ourfamily.com

1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons salt
2 cup paprika
2 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 cup water

In a cast-iron skillet, toast the ginger, cardamom, coriander, fenugreek, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice over low heat. Do not burn; this should only take a minute or so. Set aside to cool. Combine the spices, onions, garlic, 1 tablespoon of the salt, and 3 tablespoons water in a small jar of a blender and blend until smooth.

Combine the paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and the remaining tablespoon of salt in the skillet and toast over low heat for a minute or so. Stir in the water, 1/4 cup at a time. Then stir in the blended mixture. Stirring vigorously, cook over the lowest possible heat for 10-15 minutes.

Transfer the berbere to a jar, packing it in tightly. Let the paste cook to room temperature, then cover with a film of oil. Store in the refrigerator between use.

Berbere, Hot Spice Mixture (Dry)

       2 ts Cumin seeds
       4    Cloves
     3/4 ts Cardamom seeds
     1/2 ts Black peppercorns
     1/4 ts Whole allspice
       1 ts Fenugreek seeds
     1/2 ts Coriander seeds
       8    Small dried red chiles
     1/2 ts Grated fresh gingerroot
            - 1 teaspoon dried
     1/4 ts Tumeric
       1 ts Salt
   2 1/2 tb Sweet Hungarian paprika
     1/8 ts Cinnamon
     1/8 ts Ground cloves

Discard the stems from the chiles. In a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, finely grind together the toasted spices and the chiles. Mix in the remaining ingredients.

Store Berbere refrigerated in a well sealed jar or a tightly closed plastic bag.