Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised May 29, 2026

Mitmita

Mitmita is a powdered seasoning mix used in Ethiopia. It is orange-red in color and contains ground African bird's eye chili peppers, Ethiopian cardamom (korerima), cloves, and salt. It occasionally has other spices including cinnamon, cumin, and ginger.

Last revised
May 29, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
160 w
Citations
1
Source
Mitmita
Mitmita ingredients, partially ground in a mortar, with pestle
TypeSpices
Place of originEthiopia
Main ingredientsPiri piri, Ethiopian cardamom, cloves, salt

Mitmita (Amharic: ሚጥሚጣ, IPA: [mitʼmitʼa]) is a powdered seasoning mix used in Ethiopia. It is orange-red in color and contains ground African bird's eye chili peppers, Ethiopian cardamom (korerima), cloves, and salt.1 It occasionally has other spices including cinnamon, cumin, and ginger.

The mixture is used to season the raw beef dish kitfo and may also be sprinkled on ful medames (fava beans). In addition, mitmita may be presented as a condiment and sprinkled on other dishes or spooned onto a piece of injera, so that morsels may be lightly dipped into it. It is generally made from hot peppers that are stronger than those used in berbere, the other main spice in Ethiopian cuisine.

See also

See also

  • Berbere, another Ethiopian spice mixture
  • Awaze, Ethiopian spice paste
References

References

  1. Mesfin, D.J. Exotic Ethiopian Cooking (2006): 20. Falls Church, VA: Ethiopian Cookbooks Enterprises