When I received a new coffee grinder for Christmas last year from my husband I was confused – I’m more of a “drink Earl Gray until I twitch” kind of hot beverage lover. But when he told me that it was to play around with to make my own homemade spice blends, I was thrilled. And berbere was one of the first things I played with.
Berbere is a traditional African spice that is spicy but complex. It won’t necessarily make you sob – but it has just enough heat to let you know that you’re alive. And in this chicken and lentil stew, the berbere brings earthiness and a little fire to a stew that’s simple enough to make on a work night.
Homemade Berbere Spice
- 1 teaspoon of allspice
- 3 teaspoons of cardamom pods
- 5 cloves
- 4 fenugreek seeds
- 2 teaspoons of ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 4 teaspoons of cayenne
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
Lightly toast the cardamom pods, cloves and fenugreek seeds in a dry frying pan on low heat until they become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Set aside and let cool for a couple of minutes. Then grind all of the ingredients in a spice grinder until smooth.
Spicy Chicken and Lentil Stew
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 large carrots, diced
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup of cooked chicken
- 1 ½ tablespoons of the berbere spice
- 1 small can of diced tomatoes
- ½ cup of green lentils
- 2 cups of hot chicken stock or broth
- 1 cup of diced chicory or kale
In a large pot saute the onion and carrots until soft, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, berbere, tomatoes and hot stock stir well and bring to a boil. Add the lentils, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes or until the lentils are done. Add the chicory and let it soften, about 3 minutes.
Serves 4.
