As far as I can tell, this spice mixture is the basis of much of Ethiopian cooking.  Make this ahead of time to have on hand for an easy and satisfying dinner.  Depending on what you have, you can use whole or ground versions of these. If you don’t have fresh ginger (which you will add to the dish when you make it), you can add ½ teaspoon ground ginger to the mix.  Also, if you will have fresh chilies on hand when you make the dish, you can omit the dried.  This whole recipe can of course be adapted to your tastes.  Feel free to experiment.

Ingredients

2 teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
6 cardamom pods
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
¼ cup dried onion powder
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons paprika (use smoked if you want a smokier flavor)
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (fresh if you have it)
½ teaspoon cinnamon

Grind whole seeds, put in mason jar. Add ground spices, close jar, shake to mix.