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Your complete guide to cooking Arabic food at home

How to Cook Authentic Arabic Food at Home!

Known as Arabic 7-Spice or Lebanese 7-Spice, Baharat is a delightful medley of aromatic spices commonly found in Middle Eastern, North African, and Mediterranean cuisines. Within this fragrant blend, each family and region has its unique touch, but the essential seven spices include coriander, allspice, cumin, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. I take pleasure in grinding these spices together, crafting a flavorful mixture that breathes life into a variety of dishes—from meats to vegetables, stews, and beyond.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine American, Arabic, Jordanian, Middle Eastern, Palestinian, Syrian
Servings 20 servings
Calories 5 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoon Allspice Berries
  • 2 tablespoon Cumin Seeds
  • 2 tablespoon Coriander Seeds
  • 2 tablespoon Black Peppercorns
  • 1 Whole Cinnamon Stick
  • 2 tablespoon Whole Cloves
  • 2 tablespoon Whole Nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • Start by toasting your spices. This helps to bring out the flavor of the ingredients and contribute to the slightly smoky flavor of authentic Arabic food. In a cast iron skillet, add all of your whole spices except for the nutmeg.
  • Grind your whole spices in a mortar and pestle first, and then transfer to a blender or food processor to pulse the spices to a fine powder. If you don't have a blender, you can filter the spices through a fine mesh strainer to filter out the larger pieces of spices.
  • Store your homemade 7 spice blend in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer for 6-12 months. I store half in the fridge, and half in the freezer to really preserve the flavor the longest.

Notes

HOW TO MAKE ARABIC 7 SPICES USING GROUND SPICES: Instead of 2 tablespoons of whole spices, you can alternatively use 1 tablespoon of each and mix in a bowl. Over time, you can adjust these basic guidelines to your taste preferences. Do you like a little more of a sweet flavor, then add a bit more cinnamon. Do you like more of an earthy flavor, then add a bit more of the cumin. And so on. The more you cook with Arabic spices, the more you'll get a feel of what you and your family prefers. Personally, I like a bit more cinnamon and nutmeg in my Arabic 7 spice blend. My mother in law prefers a bit more cumin in her 7 spices. Every one likes something different and this will make your cooking one of a kind!
 
Nutrition facts for any recipe on thehintofrosemary are only an estimate and not guaranteed. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (¼ cup chickpeas)Calories: 5kcal
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