Awaze Sauce

Are you ready for the easiest condiment you’ll ever assemble? Awaze (ah-WAH-zay) Sauce is a no-cook, flavor-packed dipping sauce/sandwich or wrap spread that’s spicy, fresh, and surprisingly complex. Awaze is a long-standing traditional Ethiopian sauce that starts with Berbere Seasoning, a spicy-hot blend of peppers and heady, fragrant spices. Berbere has more to offer than just heat; it’s a little bit floral and pungent, with earthy depth, playful sweetness, and some citrusy overtones.

This recipe is traditionally made with a sweetened honey wine called t’ej (or t’edj). T'ej can be very hard to find in the US, so feel free to use red wine, mead, beer, vodka, or gin. We chose a gin that’s dry and not too sweet, with some notes of juniper and pepper. Try to avoid overly botanical gins in this recipe, since they will impact the final flavor of the sauce.

Once you mix the Awaze Sauce it’s ready to go. It makes a fairly thick paste, so you can thin it out with a bit more water if you prefer, or you can enjoy it just as it is. We served ours alongside our Three Cheese Puff Pastry, a delicious, savory shortbread that’s great for a snack or an appetizer. You could also use Awaze Sauce for crudites, on Kofte Kebabs, or on the side of a plate of Doro Wat if you want an extra kick of Berbere’s heat.