Baharat originates from the Middle East and is widely used there. Baharat means 'spices' in Arabic. In different regions, you will find various compositions of this spice blend. This is one of the variants, but you can also experiment and vary with it yourself. The final flavor development also depends on the quality and type of spices. Which type of black pepper you use and whether you use Ceylon or Cassia cinnamon, for example: it all influences the taste.
Your own spice blend is, of course, always the tastiest if you make it from whole spices. The absolute best way is to roast the spices and then just mix them, grinding a small amount whenever you need it, but that can also be a bit of a hassle every time. So, you can also choose to grind the spices after roasting and store them ground, provided they are in a well-sealed jar.
If you have an electric grinder, you can grind the cardamom pods whole. The pod is edible (it doesn't have much flavor). Make sure you have unsprayed cardamom pods (ours are free of chemicals and pesticides). You can also choose to extract the seeds from the pods first.
If you have a good spice grinder, you can also grind the cinnamon stick (break it into pieces beforehand). Another option is to store the whole cinnamon stick in the jar with the mixture so that the flavor can infuse. Another alternative is, of course, to replace the cinnamon stick with 1 tsp of ground cinnamon.
The baharat spice mix is delicious to sprinkle over hummus, for example, or to sprinkle over a dish as a topping with pine nuts (great with a chickpea stew, for example), stir it through olive oil and dip some flatbread in it, mix it into lentil soup, or make a tasty eggplant dish with it.
