Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- [Combine]: Start by preparing your mise en place. In a small mixing bowl, weigh out the 30 g Mild Chilli Powder, 20 g Cumin, 15 g Smoked Paprika, 10 g Garlic Powder, 10 g Onion Powder, 10 g Coriander Seed, 8 g Dried Oregano, 2 g Cayenne Pepper, 1 g Cocoa Powder, plus your choice of 5 g Sea Salt/3 g Cracked Black Pepper or the optional native equivalents 3 g Saltbush/3 g Mountain Pepperberry and 2 g Wattleseed.
- [Homogenise]: Whisk the spices together vigorously until the colour is completely uniform and no clumps of onion or garlic powder remain.
- [Store]: Transfer the mixture into a clean, dry airtight jar. Label the jar with the date; for maximum potency, use within 6 months.
- [Apply]: When cooking, use approximately 25g of seasoning per 500g of protein. Stir the spice into the browned meat to toast for 30 seconds, then add a splash of water to the pan to help the spices bloom and coat the meat evenly.
- [Thicken]: To create a thick sauce, mix 10g of cornflour (cornstarch) with 50ml of cold water. Stir this slurry into the simmering meat and cook for at least 2 minutes to activate the thickening power and cook out the raw starch taste.
Nutrition
Notes
Notes & Flavour Hacks:
Flavour Hacks (Why this tastes good):
- Adding 1g of Cocoa Powder provides an earthy, bitter depth that mimics a traditional mole sauce. It grounds the sharp heat of the chillies without making the blend taste like chocolate.
- Toasting: For a professional finish, toast the cumin and chilli powder in a dry pan for 30 seconds before mixing to release essential oils.
- Salt Control: By making your own blend, you avoid the high sodium fillers found in supermarket packets, allowing the earthy cumin to shine.
- Swap the 5g Sea Salt entirely for 3g ground Saltbush. This allows for far greater sodium control in your final dish while adding a unique mineral and herbal complexity.
- Swap the 3g Cracked Black Pepper for 3g ground Mountain Pepperberry to introduce a distinctly floral, forest-floor heat.
- Add 2g of finely ground Roasted Wattleseed to introduce subtle roasted coffee and hazelnut undertones to the blend.
- Substitute half the smoked paprika with chipotle powder for a deeper, more authentic Mexican smoke profile.
- No Smoked Paprika? Use sweet paprika and add a drop of liquid smoke to your cooking liquid in the pan.
- Clumping? This usually happens due to moisture in the pantry. Add a small food-safe silica gel packet or a few grains of raw rice to the jar to absorb humidity.
