Ottoman Spice Blend (Osmanli Baharati) – Turkish Seasoning Mix

Ottoman Spice Blend — Osmanlı Baharatı in Turkish — is the all-purpose seasoning of Ottoman palace cooking, where spice blending was treated as a craft of its own. Palace records show pepper and cinnamon were the dominant spices of the 18th-century Ottoman court; one 15-day festival in 1720 went through 118 kg of pepper alone. This blend carries that tradition into a single jar-ready mix: coarse, red-brown, and visibly textured with chili flakes, whole seeds, and dried herbs rather than a uniform powder.

Recipes vary from one Turkish spice house to another — there is no single fixed formula. A typical Osmanlı Baharatı builds on red pepper flakes, black pepper, cumin, and coriander, with garlic, onion, oregano or thyme, and sometimes warmer notes such as allspice, clove, or cinnamon. Some blends include celery seed (a labeled allergen in the EU), so check the label on your batch if that matters to you. The result is warm and savory with a gentle heat — closer to a grill seasoning than to a dessert spice.

How to use it:

• Rub onto köfte, kebab, lamb, beef, or chicken before grilling
• Whisk into olive oil and yogurt for an overnight Turkish-style marinade
• Stir a teaspoon into rice pilaf, bulgur, lentil soup, or vegetable stews
• Sprinkle over roasted potatoes, eggs, or grilled vegetables as a finishing spice

It comes in four sizes, from a 100 g trial pack to a full 1 kg bag — the kilo is the practical choice for restaurants, caterers, and households that grill every week. Packed in Turkey.