Homemade chilli seasoning

Homemade chilli seasoning is a blend of warm spices used as a seasoning for a variety of chilli recipes including veggie chilli and chilli con carne.

It can also be used to season homemade burgers, falafel or nut cutlets.

One of the good things about mixing your own spice blends is that you can adjust the ingredients and quantities to suit your own taste.

This homemade spice blend is simple to prepare and can be made in bulk and stored along with your other herbs and spices. Why not also make a batch of homemade curry powder, or some pilau rice seasoning, mix your own Chinese five spice powder, blend some seasoning for spaghetti sauce or some mixed spice to use when baking cakes, biscuits or puddings?

The quantities in this chilli spice mix are sufficient to make 4 to 5 servings of any chilli dish (the equivalent to one typical sachet of shop bought seasoning).

Ingredients

• Chopped dried chilli - use ½ teaspoon dried chilli to add heat to your spice blend. Finely chop part of a dried chilli or use dried chilli flakes. You can increase the amount of chilli for more heat. Do not substitute chilli powder.

• Ground paprika - use 1 tsp.

• Ground cumin - use ½ tsp.

• Ground fennel - use 1 tsp. Fennel will add fragrance to your spice blend.

• Dried oregano - use 2 tsps.

• Cocoa powder - cocoa powder may be an unexpected ingredient in this spice mix but is perfect for adding a rich deep flavour to your chilli dishes. Use 1 tsp.

• Ground cinnamon - Use ¼ tsp. Cinnamon will add a sweet fragrance to the spice mix.

• Cayenne pepper - this will add heat to the spice mix. You can adjust the quantity to suit your taste. Use ½ tsp.

How to prepare

Simply measure the ingredients into a bowl and mix.

Your spice blend is now ready to use.

Alternatively you can store it in a jar to use later.

How to use chilli seasoning

• Add to a variety of chilli recipes such as veggie chilli in place of a sachet of shop bought seasoning.
• Use as a substitute for chilli powder and cumin when making falafel.
• Use to season vegetarian burgers such as spicy bean burgers.
• Add to soups such as winter vegetable soup, spicy carrot an lentil soup or butternut squash and chilli soup.
• Use some of your homemade chilli seasoning to spice up vegetables such as spicy cauliflower.
• Add to chutneys such as tomato and chilli chutney and red onion chutney.

How to store

Your homemade spice blend can be kept for several months in a clean glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

Recipes for you to use chilli seasoning