Premade versions of typical global spice blends from Africa and India, like Ras el Hanout and Garam Masala, aren’t likely found at your local supermarket. That doesn’t have to stop you from experiencing the flavorful global fare. If you have these six global spice blends in your cabinets, you have the world of flavors close at hand. Ras el Hanout, Harissa, Garam Masala, Tandori, Berbere, Jamaican Jerk all add a level of sophistication to standard American fare.  

OK, this was the extent of my international, world music back in 1997. The Spice Girls’ second album, Spice World, is an oh-so timely throwback to accompany today’s Global spice blend recipe collection. So go ahead and vibe out to these old-school global tunes while adding these mixes. Alright…snapping out of nostalgia. Back to the kitchen.

Instructions for All Global Spice Recipes:

STEP 1: 

For best results, toast the whole spices in a small, dry pan on medium-high heat until fragrant and have tanned a shade or two darker. Do not be tempted to skip this stage. Be sure to stir, keeping the ingredients moving. Do not burn! Toasting really draws out the flavors.

STEP 2:

Ground the whole spices yourself in a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or use a mortar and pestle. Crush the herbs into a fine powder. Store in an airtight container for up to six months.

Use the flavor combinations on everything -Vegetables, soups, meats, popcorn, fries, toasted chickpeas, or nuts. It all works! 

A Note on Chiles

Many of these global spice blends rely heavily on chiles. Depending on where you are in the world, some chiles may be harder to get than others. I know scotch bonnets were impossible to find in my home town in Kentucky but accessible in mast groceries where I lived in Boston. You can find Habanero peppers all over Texas but not as easy in Alabama. Poblanos, serrano, and bakouti peppers are more authentic and from North Africa but are hard to find in the U.S. Consider using dried, stemmed, and seeded chiles guajillo, chilis de Arbol, New Mexico Chiles, or Thai chiles instead. Just use what you can get your hands on.

Now, without further ado, here are the ingredients to six essential global spice blends… 

Global spice blend #1: Ras El Hanout

Ras el Hanout is a fragrant, complex, North African staple. Literally translated as “head of shop,” the Arabic phrase ras el hanout is the equivalent of our “top shelf” or best quality in English. Ras el hanout is a blend of the best spices that the shopkeeper has in stock. I used it in my crowd-pleasing, three-ingredient, Vegan Red Lentil Soup. It was the Ras El Hanout that took three raw ingredients to show-stopper status in two sprinkles. 

Employing the African tradition of letting ancestors guide the recipe making, there’s no standard Ras El Hanout recipe. Every spice shopkeeper has his own custom concoction. Some blends can include some 30 different seasonings. If you’re fortunate enough to have access to Ras El Hanout pre-blended, that’s great for you! If not, you can blend your own with any number of seasonings. 

Popular in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, the base assortments are cardamom, clove, cinnamon, paprika (sweet and hot), coriander, cumin, nutmeg, black peppercorn, and turmeric. From there, you can add whatever else you please.  I use the full recipe below.

Ingredients

Ras el Hanout Base

• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 

Optional Add-ins that pack a punch

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek ground seeds 
• 2 Moroccan rosebuds
• A small pinch of saffron (4 or 5 threads)
• 2 bay leaves

Global spice blend #2: Harissa 

This north African (Tunisia) spice blend is sometimes made into a paste. I almost always use it as a dry rub. It’s mild with a hint of smokey fire. Just like Ras el Hanout, there is no standard for recipes. A year ago, when I started food photography, I didn’t even know the word harissa. Now, it’s my go-to seasoning blend when I’m at a loss for how to approach seasoning something. I use it on chickpeas, hummus, carrot dip, and deviled eggs.

This is a chile pepper-based mixture. Use what you have access to because some of these chiles are hard to find in the U.S. (but don’t estimate the power of worldwide shipping). Poblanos, serrano, and bakouti peppers are more authentic and from North Africa but are hard to find in the U.S. Consider using dried, stemmed, and seeded chiles guajillo, chilis de Arbol, or Thai chiles instead.

INGREDIENTS 

• 8-10 Chiles (or 1 teaspoon chile powder or cayenne)
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

Global spice blend #3: Tandori

Tandoor is an ancient South Asian cooking technique using a clay pot-style oven. The meat in this cooking method is always marinated with pungent spices. Tandoori is most famous for its pairing with chicken. Just like with the other masalas, there is no standard recipe for tandoori masala. The traditional flavor palates offer pungent sweetness backed up by bitter notes and heat.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 ½ tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Spice blend #4: Garam Masala      

The word “Masala” means a blend of spices. Generally associated with Northern Indian cuisine, Garam Masala is a staple across South Asia and common in Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, and Afghan foods. This condiment is great to keep in your pantry. It elevates everything from chicken to chickpeas. This mix is easier to find in grocery stores as several national spice brands distribute it. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoon cumin
• ½ cup coriander
• 2 tablespoons cardamom seeds
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 1 stick cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon dried nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon turmeric

Global Spice Blend #5: Berbere

Berbere (pronounced: behr-ba-rry) means “hot” in Amharic. This Ethiopian seasoning kicks your dish up a notch with an intricate and spicy flavor. This blend of traditional East-African spices is perfect for lamb, fish, chicken, beef, and bean dishes. This does add more heat to the flavor pallet than any of the other blends listed here.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons Chiles of choice
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seed
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon allspice berries
• 1 teaspoon cardamom seed
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons grated garlic 
• 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

** Chef’s Note: due to the freshly grated garlic, this is one blend that will keep better in the fridge 

Global Spice Blend #6 :Jamaican Jerk

Lastly, in our collection of Global spice blends, there’s Jamaican Jerk. 

Jamaicans perfected this style of cooking in the lush, tropical mountains of the island. While fighting for their freedom and driving the British out of their country, Africans in Jamaica used what seasoning resources they had to flavor their meat, which I love. Fighting a war in a remote area isn’t going to prevent flavorful cooking. There’s not a single jerk recipe -there’s only a flavor palate. That flavor pallet is a sweet heat with savory, earthy, robust flavor. This combo is pretty much everything in your cabinet. Of course, it pairs well with wings, but it’s also great with lamb chops. 

INGREDIENTS

•  ½ Scotch Bonnet, minced (see note on chile substitutions above) **
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 2 tablespoons minced onion or onion powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 tablespoons garlic powder)
• 3 tablespoon allspice 
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (or brown)
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
• 3 teaspoon dried thyme, minced
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated 
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon (approx. 3-inch stick), freshly grated 
• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger  
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon dried marjoram

There you have it, folks. Let me know if you ever make any of these six global spice blends and give me feedback. I’d love to hear what you make with your new spice blend collection.