Xawaash Spice

This spice is the backbone of the Somali flavor, which is well worth the effort to make if you are going to delve into Somali cooking (which I recommend happen).  In cooking out of the new cookbook, In Bibi's Kitchen, I have realized that much like my discovery of regional Mexican cooking when I was in my 20's, there is a whole heck of a lot about African cooking that I know absolutely nothing about, and that is to my detriment.

One 2-inch (5-cm) piece cinnamon stick
1/2 cup (125 mL) cumin seeds
1/2 cup (125 mL) coriander seeds
2 tbsp (30 mL) black peppercorns
6 cardamom pods
1 tsp (5 mL) whole cloves
2 tbsp (30 mL) ground turmeric

Place the cinnamon stick in a small zip-top plastic bag, seal it and bang it a couple of times with a rolling pin, skillet or mallet (anything firm and heavy) to break it into small pieces.

Place the cinnamon pieces, cumin, coriander, peppercorns, cardamom and cloves in a small heavy skillet set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the smell is very aromatic and the spices are lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Transfer the mixture to a clean coffee grinder and grind into a fine powder (or use a mortar and pestle and some elbow grease). Transfer the ground spices to a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and sift. Regrind whatever large pieces remain in the sieve and add them to the bowl with the ground spices. Add the turmeric. Whisk well to combine and transfer the mixture to an airtight jar. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Makes: about 1 1/4 cups (300 mL)