Baharat

This ‘masala’ or spice mixture is used extensively in Gulf cookery and you’ll need it to make matchbous. These quantities make a smallish amount, suitable for the experimenter rather than the dedicated ‘Gulf’ cook! Arab families will have their own favourite variant, but might like to try this one for a change...

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp broken cassia
• 1 tsp cloves
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp cardamom pods
• 1 tsp ground nutmedg
• 1 tbsp paprika

Grind the spices and bottle them. If you have to grind them in batches, mix them up well once they are bottled.