Xawaash

Name: Xawaash
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 20
Cuisine: Somalie
Ingredients: 20 g food-grade cumin seeds; 20 g food-grade coriander seeds; 5 g black peppercorns; 3 g cinnamon in grinder-safe small pieces; 2 g shelled cardamom seeds, no pods; 1 g whole cloves; 4 g ground turmeric

🫙 A small Somali dry spice blend of cumin, coriander, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and turmeric, about 55 g for seasoning.

Ingredients

20 g food-grade cumin seeds
20 g food-grade coriander seeds
5 g black peppercorns
3 g cinnamon in grinder-safe small pieces
2 g shelled cardamom seeds, no pods
1 g whole cloves
4 g ground turmeric

Preparation

Weigh spices separately. Safely break cinnamon into grinder-compatible pieces and remove cardamom husks before weighing seeds.

Dry-toast cumin, coriander, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in small pan over medium-low heat three to five minutes, stirring until fragrant, no smoke or blackening. Keep turmeric aside.

Immediately spread on dry plate and cool fully about fifteen minutes or longer. Do not enclose warm spices in grinder or jar.

Grind small batches in clean dry suitable spice grinder. Sift if needed and regrind coarse fragments within equipment limits.

Stir in 4 g turmeric until even. Makes about 55 g dry blend without added salt or chilli.

Put in clean fully dry airtight jar, label and use in small amounts in cooking. Twenty reference portions mean about 2.75 g each, not a meal for twenty people.