Middle Eastern flair…
If you’re cooking spicy Middle Eastern food, you’re going to run into the need for Baharat. It’a popular spice blend made of some of the most aromatic spices in the world, including nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Try it as a rub (it works well with chicken, beef, or lamb), or mix it into sauces and stews to provide an aromatic warmth to the dish. You can also simply use it as a condiment to add a little extra spice to vegetables, dipping sauces, or bland meats.
The heat in Baharat comes in two forms. First, chili pepper based paprika provides the true spiciness. Due to the dilution among the other spices, it’s a mellower warmth, so feel free to increase the amount to match your spiciness tolerance (or opt for a hot paprika instead of a generic or sweet variety).
Second is a good amount of black pepper that provides a pungent earthiness to the mix. It adds a subtle warmth along with that well known black pepper bite. Together with the paprika it’s a powerful combo that matches the flavor intensity of the more aromatic spices.
