Like Garam Masala is a staple in Indian cooking, Baharat is a popular flavor enhancer and a must-have in many Middle Eastern recipes. Baharat spice blend ingredients are flavorful and give the perfect pungency for any dish it calls for.
Like many cultural spice blends, this one also could have slight variations in its content varying from region to region. However, it generally contains spices such as:
- Black Pepper
- Cumin Seeds
- Cinnamon
- Paprika
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Nutmeg
- Coriander Seeds
In addition to these spices, some recipes could also contain turmeric, allspice, dried rose buds/petals, sumac, dried mint, chili peppers, and saffron.
So, the rest of our segments will discuss how these Baharat spice blend ingredients give life to the dishes it is added to.
What Is In The Baharat Spice Blend?
This combination of ground spices is a versatile flavoring that works both as an ingredient and a condiment. Many meat-based, rice and soup dishes employ Baharat for a zesty, flavorsome, and rich punch of taste.
You can buy it from the store or even put it together as a homemade spice blend. In addition, Baharat spice blend ingredients do not generally include salt and are typically gluten-free and vegan friendly.
Spices
01- Black Pepper
When making this mix, earthy, peppery, and piney black peppercorns are usually ground with other whole spices. The ubiquitous peppery kick is a distinctive flavor tweak to this. Plus, the versatile flavor profile of black pepper pairs well with all the other ingredients used in this blend.
02- Cumin Seeds
Cumin seeds are also taken whole and then ground together with the rest of the whole spices. This spice holds a nutty, warm, slightly sweet taste that intensifies when pulverized. Cumin seeds particularly get along well with cinnamon, paprika, coriander, cardamoms, and cloves.
03- Cinnamon
The omnipresent flavor of cinnamon is one of the must-have Baharat spice blend ingredients. The slightly citrusy, woody, and sweet flavor notes of this spice will complement many meat-based dishes. Cinnamon pieces are ground with other whole spices, and it pairs well with cloves, coriander, cumin, and nutmeg.
04- Paprika
Apart from the depth of flavor paprika provides to this spice blend, it also imparts a pleasant tone with its bright red hue. The flavor of this entire blend has a significant impact on the type of paprika you choose.
In fact, the taste of Baharat can have smokey elements with smoked paprika, and it also could be spicy if you use hot paprika. Mild or sweet paprika also gives a profundity of flavor, and this spice goes specifically well with cumin.
05- Cardamom
Cardamom is another spice that greatly complements meat-based and rice dishes. Therefore, it is considered another staple in the mix. Cardamom pods usually carry a herbal warmth with mint and eucalyptus notes. These unique flavor elements give another flavor twist to Baharat pairing the spice well with other spices like cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and cumin.
06- Cloves
Astringent, sharp, pungent, and intensely aromatic cloves are accountable for most of the fragrance of Baharat. Like most other ingredients in the blend, the spice complements many rice, soup, and meat-based dishes with its robust taste notes. Cloves get along well with other warm spices such as coriander seeds, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
07- Nutmeg
Being another aromatic, nutmeg also holds a unique nutty, warm, and a slightly-bitter-sweet flavor. Many savory recipes call for the pungent taste of this spice. And nutmeg often complements many dishes when Baharat is particularly used as a condiment. The flavor profile of this spice matches well with cloves, coriander seeds, cardamoms, cumin, and cinnamon.
08- Coriander Seeds
Coriander seeds are such a peacemaker that are never involved in overpowering the overall taste of any recipe! It has a floral hint with slight citrusy and earthy notes that can be easily paired with other intense aromatics like cloves, nutmeg, cumin, and cinnamon. In fact, coriander seeds stabilize the overwhelming strength of the other ingredients when ground with other spices.
Food for us comes from our relatives, whether they have wings or fins or roots. That is how we consider food. Food has a culture and a history. It also has a story and relationships
Winona LaDuke
Other Baharat Spice Blend Ingredients
The spices mentioned above are considered the standards in almost every pre-packaged or homemade recipe. However, occasionally, some additional herbs, spices, or flavorings could be included apart from those ingredients.
They are as follows:
- Allspice
- Turmeric
- Saffron
- Sumac
- Chili peppers
- Dried rose buds/ petals
- Dried mint
Is Baharat The Same As Ras el Hanout?
Although both of these blends share some common spices, Ras el Hanout and Baharat are two different spice blends. In fact, they come from diverse cuisines, whereas Ras el Hanout originated from Moroccan cuisine.
Both of these spice blends are warm, pungent, and strongly flavored. However, the hotness or the spiciness depends on the particular flavoring agent used in each of them. For example, in most Baharat recipes we find that the hotness agent is paprika (if hot paprika is used, it becomes hot). While, on the contrary, many Ras el Hanout recipes employ cayenne pepper.
In addition, a majority of Ras el Hanout recipes could also contain some exotic ingredients like ash tree fruits, guinea pepper berries, and cubeb berries. And even though Baharat is a versatile ingredient and a popular table condiment, Ras el Hanout is used in only a few dishes.
Want To Try A New Flavor On Your Regular Dishes- Why Not Giving Baharat A Chance?
So, as you see, all the Baharat spice blend ingredients are packed with flavor and highly aromatic, which results in giving the mix its unique and striking taste. Most whole spices are ground and mixed with powdered colorant spices like paprika and turmeric.
Ingredients like black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, paprika, nutmeg, and cardamom get together and take many of your meat, rice, or soup dishes to the next level!
