Baharat


is a spice mixture or blend used in Middle Eastern cuisines. The mixture of finely ground spices is often used to season lamb and mutton, fish, chicken, beef, and soups, and may also be used as a condiment.

History

According to historian Nawal Nasrallah, medieval Arabic cookbooks, such as the 10th century book Kitab al-Tabikh by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq and the 13th century Aleppan Al-Wusla ila ‘l-Habeeb provide recipes for several spice blends, which were referred to with names like atraf al-teeb, the name baharat did not come to refer to spice mixes until the Ottoman Empire. One recipe provided by Al-Wusla ila ‘l-Habeeb contained nutmeg, cloves, rose buds, green cardamom, among others.
Allspice became a prominent component of baharat when it arrived to the region from Central America in the 16th century.

Etymology

is the Arabic word for "spices". The word originates from the Persian word. The use of the term baharat likely started in the Ottoman Empire.
Some historians think that a possible etymological origin for the word baharat is the word bahar, one of the old names of India, which was the source for many of the spices imported into the Arab world.
In Arabic, baharat typically refers to spices in general rather than a specific set.

Ingredients

Composition depends on the region the spice mix is from. Typical ingredients of may include:
  • Allspice
  • Black peppercorns
  • Cardamom seeds
  • Cassia bark
  • Cloves
  • Coriander seeds
  • Cumin seeds
  • Ginger
  • Nutmeg
  • Turmeric
  • Saffron
  • Dried red chili peppers or paprika
The main ingredients are often cloves, black pepper, allspice, and cinnamon.
One example of a recipe for is a mixture of the following finely ground ingredients:
  • 6 parts paprika
  • 4 parts black pepper
  • 4 parts cumin seeds
  • 3 parts cinnamon
  • 3 parts cloves
  • 3 parts coriander seeds
  • 3 parts nutmeg
  • 1 part cardamom pods
The mixture can be rubbed into meat or mixed with olive oil and lime juice to form a marinade.

Other variants

baharat karisimi includes mint in the largest proportion. In Tunisia, baharat refers to a simple mixture of dried rosebuds and ground cinnamon, often combined with black pepper. In Eastern Arabia, loomi and saffron may also be used for the kebsa spice mixture. In the Gaza Strip, dill and hot pepper are uniquely popular components of baharat. In Egypt, baharat is typically made from cinammon, allspice, and cloves.
Besides regional variants, the ingredients are also tailored for different dishes. Baharat mixes for sweets often use cinammon, anise, mahlab, cardamom, saffron, or mastic.
Hwajeh is a Jordanian spice and wild herb blend used in making foods like samneh and mansaf.

Bzar

Bzar or bizar refers to a spice mix popular in Emirati cuisine and Omani cuisine, it is made by grinding dry spices and mixing them, and often mixed with ghee and used in a wide array of dishes.

Seven Spices

In the Levant a spice mix called is used. Its origins are from Aleppo, Syria. Though it seems to slightly vary from province to province, the typical recipe for it is the following spices, ground and mixed:
  • 2 parts cinnamon
  • 2 parts black pepper
  • 2 parts cumin
  • 2 parts cardamom
  • 2 parts coriander
  • 1 part nutmeg
  • 1 part cloves
Common variations may include allspice, paprika, and cassia, among others.