Hawaij Spice Blend Recipe

Hawaij spice (also known as Hawayej, Hawaj, and Hawayij) means "mixture" in Arabic. It's a spice blend with primarily cumin and black pepper and often contains cardamom, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

There are two primary blends of hawaij - one for savory dishes and one used in coffee and desserts.

Hawaij is primarily used in Yemeni and Israeli cuisine.

The savory mixture is often used in soups, curry dishes, and rubs on meat.

The mixture for coffee and desserts can be used in cakes and other baked goods. Examples of recipes using hawaij can be found below. 

Recipes Using Hawaij Spice

Hawaij is such an interesting spice blend because it can be used in both savory and sweet dishes. If you’re looking for a creative way to use hawaij, check out these excellent recipes:

• Carrot Cake with Hawaij and Tahini Caramel Frosting from My Name is Yeh
• Cozy Apple Spice Baked Oatmeal with Maple Cream & Hawaij from The First Mess
• Hawaij Fish Sandwich from I Will Not Eat Oysters
• Hawaij Hot Chocolate from Turntable Kitchen
• Hawaij roasted carrots with mung beans and preserved lemon yoghurt from Arthur Street Kitchen 
• Hawaij Spatchcock Chicken from Madeline Hall
• Hawaij Spice Cauliflower Bites from Thyme to Mango
• Hawaij Spiced Rye Banana Bread from Food52
• Hawaij Vegetable Soup from Madeline Hall
• Hawaij Chicken and Rice from This Healthy Table

---

Alternatives for Hawaij 

If you can't find hawaij or don't have all the ingredients to make the hawaij blend, you can use a mixture of equal parts black pepper and cumin.