Hawaij (Sweet Yemeni Spice Blend)

Hawaij (Sweet / Coffee / Tea)

It’s officially PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) season in America as of today. Although I’m a big believer in sharing the things you love even if someone else deems them ‘basic’, I will leave the Pumpkin Spice love to others. No hate here; I definitely understand the appeal of it, but as someone who didn’t grow up in America I have never been huge on the whole pumpkin pie thing (my daughter, born and raised here, is obssessed). This hawaij spice can be used in lattes, teas, in pumpkin bread, in cakes and pies – anything that needs that spicy autumnal ‘kick’ to it.

The Usual Note on Spice Grinding:

As always with my spice blends, I use my trusty electric spice grinder. I highly recommend purchasing one if you use a lot of spices in your food (we do) as it means you can purchase your spices in bulk and whole – which means they last much, much longer, saving you money. Ground spices simply don’t last very long – and lose their ‘oomph’ quickly, so if you want to get the best flavour and value, investing in a spice grinder (or even a good quality coffee grinder works here, too – so long as it’s clean) is well worth the small investment. I’ve had mine for over a decade and it’s still going strong. If you have neither, you can absolutely use ground spices (I’ve included those measurements below as well). If you’re going to buy pre-ground spices, I highly recommend The Spice House for their high quality (and free shipping if you order their environmentally-friendly flat packs!)

Hawaij (Sweet / Coffee / Tea Yemeni Spice Blend) حوايج

This version of the Yemeni spice blend is made for tea, coffee, and other sweets.
Prep Time5 minutes
Course: Spices
Cuisine: Yemeni
Keyword: afternoon tea, coffee cake, hawaij, spice blends, spice mixture, spices, sweet hawaij, yemeni
Author: The Elegant Economist

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp dried ginger (or 2 large dried pieces of ginger)
  • 2 Tbsp cardamom seeds (removed from pods) (or 2 Tbsp ground cardamom)
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground mace (or 2-3 pieces mace)
  • 12 whole cloves (or ½ tsp ground cloves)
  • 1 whole cinnamon stick (or 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon)

Instructions

  • Grind all spices together in a spice grinder. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months.
August 27, 2019

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2 Comments

  1. Reply

    Kathy

    October 18, 2020

    I’d love to prepare and use your recipe for Hawaij for coffee, but how much should I use per cup? And, is the spice blend added to the coffee grounds before brewing or the cup of brewed coffee? Many thanks!

    • Reply

      Elisabeth

      October 27, 2020

      I usually brew my coffee in a French press, and add about a half teaspoon of the hawaij mixture (it yields about 4 8 ounce cups of coffee) prior to adding the hot water. Start with this amount and add more if you prefer a stronger spice to the coffee.

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