Step 1:
Select your spice blend
7 Spices
A Middle Eastern spice blend commonly used for lamb, especially kofta.
Blackened
A Cajun spice blend used for all manner of pork, chicken, seafood, and fish dishes, which is also excellent on eggs.
Shwarma
Inspired by an Armenian spice blend from a favorite childhood restaurant. Best on chicken, but suitable for mushrooms, tofu, fish, and shrimp.
Curry (Mild)
An Indian spice blend without the heat. Use this anywhere you would use a curry powder.
Step 2:
Gather the ingredients for that blend
Collect the spices for the particular blend you want to make.
7 Spices:
- Allspice, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, Fenugreek, Ginger, and Nutmeg
Blackened:
- Black Pepper, Cayenne, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Oregano, Smoked Paprika, Thyme
Shwarma:
- Black Pepper, Chili Powder, Coriander, Cumin, Garlic Powder, Oregano
Curry (Mild):
- Black Pepper, Cumin, Coriander, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Paprika, Turmeric
Step 3: Grind whole ingredients
Add whole spices into a coffee grinder that is set aside for spices. Pulse the spices until they are powdered. Be careful when opening up the chamber to avoid spills. If you are grinding spicy ingredients, like for the blackened mix, open away from your face.
Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle to crush and grind your whole spices. This will take longer.
Step 4: Add remaining spice ingredients and blend together
Add the remaining powdered ingredients to the spice grinder and pulse until well mixed. Again, be careful when reopening the chamber to avoid spills, and open spicy blends away from your face.
Similarly, add remaining ingredients to the mortar and pestle and grind until finely mixed.
Step 5: Bottle
Pour your spice blend into a resealable airtight container. I typically reuse a spice jar or mason jar. Store this container away from heat and light if possible.
Spice Blends Recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Equipment:
- Coffee grinder used only for herbs/spices OR mortar and pestle
- Measuring spoons
- Airtight storage container
Ingredients:
- 7 Spices
- 1 Tablespoon (15 mL) each:
- Allspice
- Clove
- Fenugreek
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) each:
- Black Pepper
- Cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon (15 mL) each:
- Blackened
- 3 Tablespoons (45 mL) each:
- Black Pepper
- Cayenne
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Oregano
- Smoked Paprika
- Thyme
- 3 Tablespoons (45 mL) each:
- Shwarma
- 2 Tablespoons (30 mL):
- Coriander
- 1 Tablespoon (15mL) each:
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Oregano
- 2 Tablespoons (30 mL):
- Curry (Mild)
- 1 Tablespoon (15mL) each:
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
- 1 teaspoon (5mL) each:
- Black Pepper
- Oregano
- Turmeric
- 1 Tablespoon (15mL) each:
Instructions
- Choose the blend you want to make.
- Gather the ingredients.
- Use the coffee grinder that is set aside for only spices (or the mortar and pestle) to grind the whole spices.
- Add the rest of the spices and grind together until evenly blended.
- Pour blend into an airtight container.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*For my metric users, I apologize for using mL as opposed to grams, but I am not familiar with the weights of what I’m using. Using cc or mL gets comparable results.*
The ingredients themselves are guidelines. I have regularly omitted things, like black pepper, and substituted other ingredients, such as switching regular paprika for smoked paprika. I have even used Monarda spp. instead of oregano, and substituted cayenne with jalapeño powder. The blends are scale-able, but I suggest maintaining the proportions on this recipe, since changing those can give you a wildly different result.
These blends are best stored in airtight glass containers that are protected from heat and light. Use them within 6 months to retain potency.
For superior flavor, grind your own whole spices as needed, instead of using pre-ground spices. Some examples are whole peppercorns, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, etc.
