Ethiopian Mekelesha

Name: Ethiopian Mekelesha
Yield: About 1/2 cup
Ingredients: Korarima (Ethiopian cardamom) — 2 tbsp; Ethiopian long pepper (timiz) — 2 tbsp; Cumin — 1 tbsp; Cloves — 1 tbsp; Black pepper — 1 tbsp; Cinnamon stick — 1; Gratings of nutmeg — a few

The Quirky Foodster Team

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About 1/2 cup

Servings

Ingredients

Korarima (Ethiopian cardamom) — 2 tbsp
Ethiopian long pepper (timiz) — 2 tbsp
Cumin — 1 tbsp
Cloves — 1 tbsp
Black pepper — 1 tbsp
Cinnamon stick — 1
Gratings of nutmeg — a few

Method

Toast the whole spices lightly, cool, grind to a powder.
Light toasting only, given mekelesha's role as a delicate, aroma-preserving finishing spice rather than an early-cooking base.

Origin: Ethiopia — a finishing spice blend, structurally similar in role to garam masala but independently developed.

Use: Added at the very end of cooking, sometimes even after the pot has been removed from the heat entirely — its aromatics are chosen specifically for volatility and are meant to be preserved rather than developed through sustained heat, unlike most other blends in this reference.

Classic Dishes: Misir wat (spiced red lentil stew); various other wat dishes as a finishing touch.

Storage: Keeps 2-3 months sealed and dark.

Variations: Household variation is considerable — some cooks use six spices, others seven, and nutmeg is included by some and omitted by others.

Substitutions: Garam masala added at the very end of cooking, as a structural (if not flavor-identical) substitute given the shared late-addition finishing role.