Your basket, before we grind it

Everything you have picked sits here until you are ready. Berbere, mitmita, shiro powder and whole korarima are milled to order, so the grind and heat level you choose are the ones that go into the pouch. Check the batch notes on harvest month and drying method, adjust quantities, and we will take it from there.

Before you check out

A few things people ask once the basket is full and the heat level is picked. If your question is about a specific batch, the harvest month and grind coarseness are printed on every pouch.

Can I mix grind sizes in one order?: Yes. Berbere and shiro powder ship at medium grind by default, mitmita at fine. If you want a coarser berbere for slow-simmered sauces or a finer one for dry rubs, note it at checkout and we adjust the mill run before packing. Whole korarima and besobela stay whole unless you ask otherwise.
How do the 100g, 250g and 500g pouches hold up?: All three sizes use the same resealable pouch with a zip seal and a batch label. The 100g suits a single household testing a blend for the first time, while 250g and 500g are the usual pick for cooks who make doro wat or misir wot most weeks. Keep them out of direct sun and the aroma stays steady for months.
What is actually in the starter bundle?: Berbere, mitmita, shiro powder and whole korarima in 100g pouches, plus recipe cards for doro wat, misir wot and kitfo. It is built for someone assembling an Ethiopian pantry from scratch rather than buying each spice separately. If you already cook with berbere regularly, the individual pouches usually make more sense.
Where do the spices come from?: Smallholder growers and cooperative mills around Gondar, Wolkite and the Rift Valley. Chilies are dried on raised mats, then milled in small runs so the colour stays deep. Each pouch carries a batch note with harvest month, drying method and grind coarseness, so you know what is in the bag before it reaches your kitchen in Johannesburg or Cape Town.
Can I send an order as a gift set?: Mixed blends and gift sets are both fine in the same basket. Add a note with the delivery name if it differs from the billing details, and we pack the pouches together with the recipe cards. Repeat orders keep the same batch where stock allows, which matters if you are matching a blend you already cook with.

Still unsure which pouch size fits your cooking? Reach us through the contact page and we will point you to the right blend. Order details and returns are covered in our terms.

Before you confirm that basket

Cart questions usually come down to grind, pouch size or a batch note you want explained. Reach us the same day you are ordering and we can still adjust the mill run before your pouches are sealed.

Email the order desk

Best for mixed blends, gift sets and repeat orders. Send your cart reference and the heat level you want, and we reply with what is in stock at the mill that week.

info@ethiospices.com

Call during milling hours

Weekdays, 08:00 to 16:00. Useful when you need to change a 100g pouch to 250g or ask whether a berbere batch is medium or coarse before checkout.

+27(24)2599624

Response times

Email within one working day. Phone answered during milling hours. Cart changes requested before the grind starts are held; after sealing, we treat it as a new order.

Still deciding on grind or pouch size? The FAQ covers batch notes, drying methods and shipping to Johannesburg and Cape Town. Read the FAQ and contact us Privacy

Review your basket before we grind

Everything you picked sits here until you confirm. Check the pouch sizes, the heat level and the grind, then add the delivery details we need to pack and ship from the mill.

Selected items

Berbere Blend, medium grind 250g resealable pouch, heat level 3 of 5
Mitmita, fine grind 100g pouch, milled for kitfo and tibs
Shiro powder 500g pouch, ground chickpea and spice base
Korarima, whole pods 100g pouch, Gondar harvest, air-dried
Recipe card set Doro wat, misir wot and kitfo, included with the order

Mixed blends and gift sets are packed together unless you ask us to separate them. If a pouch is meant as a gift, note it in the message field and we will leave the recipe cards out of that one.

Your details

Name on the order: As it should appear on the parcel label
Email: For the batch notes and dispatch confirmation
Phone: Only used if the courier needs to reach you
Delivery address: Street, suburb, city and postal code
Grind and heat notes: Tell us if you want a coarser berbere or a milder mitmita

Delivery and contact

Orders are milled in small runs, so a basket with whole korarima or a custom grind can take an extra day before it leaves the mill. Couriers cover Johannesburg, Cape Town and most regional centres; outlying areas usually route through the nearest depot.

Questions about a batch or a substitution go to info@ethiospices.com or +27(24)2599624.

Before you confirm

Pouch sizes match what you actually cook with each month.
Heat level is right for the household, not just for you.
Gift sets are marked so we pack them separately.
Address includes a suburb or farm name the courier will recognise.

Once confirmed, the basket goes to the mill queue and you get a note when your batch is ground and packed.