It took me a while to finally make Eman’s Lamb Meghazlia, mainly because I needed to mix the meghazlia spice mix myself. Since I have some lamb in the freezer I really needed to get rid of, I set aside some time today to make this spice mix.
What took me a while to figure out was the “besbasa Indian” listed in Eman’s ingredients list. After some research I thought what she was asking for was bisbas, a spicy Yemeni spice mix, and that was what I used to make my current batch of meghazlia. While sitting around researching this spice a bit more, I realized that besbasa was another name for mace. So my meghazlia spice mix is most probably going to be quite different from Eman’s. Sigh. Anyway, I’ve noted down both my version and Eman’s version, for my future reference.
Meghazlia Spice Mix
Makes about 1/2 cup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon sticks, broken into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon cloves
- 1 tablespoon cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoon dried wheat grains
- 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ground mace OR ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon dried bisbas (optional)
Directions
In your spice grinder, add the cumin, black peppercorns, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and wheat grains. Grind for a few minutes to form a smooth, fine powder.
Add the turmeric…
…and the ground mace OR ground nutmeg, and the bisbas (optional).
Mix until thoroughly combined.
Transfer into an airtight jar. Store in a cool, dry place (I use the freezer) when not in use.
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