I know I'm bit of a nerd but honestly...I can't think of a better way to cook simply than to elevate simple ingredients with a really good spice blend.
How many times do you reach for chili powder, steak spice, or curry powder? So get yourself a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, and let's try something new.
You can pretty much make any blend in as little as 5-minutes, but this feisty mix-up of traditional Turkish flavours is a winner you'll reach for again and again. Try adding to meatballs, sautéing a little with onion and garlic to start a rice pilaf, rub on chicken, fish, or tofu, or add to chickpeas tossed with a little olive oil and roasted or sauteed.
1. Measure 1 tsp each dried chili peppers and black pepper;
1/2 tsp each cassia buds, coriander seed, cumin seed, and fenugreek seed;
1/4 tsp each allspice berries and whole cloves.
2. Toast in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Cool, then grind.
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