Morocco: The Land of Thousand Spices: The King of all spices

Morocco: The Land of Thousand Spices

Ras el Hanout

 

The King of all Moroccan spices

Any talk about Moroccan cuisine or Moroccan spices wouldn’t be wholesome without the mentioning of the unique Moroccan spice mix which is used in numerous local dishes and this is the spice mix called Ras El Hanout which if we want to translate it basically means the “top of the shop” which again translates to signifying that the spice mix was made from the mixing of the very best quality ingredients. Ras El Hanout is on the shelves in every shop that deals with spices and you can bet to find it on the shelf of every single Moroccan household’s kitchen too. The signature Moroccan dishes which use Ras El Hanout include the following:

• Couscous
• Rfissa
• Tfaya
• Kefta
• Mrouzia

(The recipes of each one of these dishes will be published on my blog, that’s when I will also add the hyperlink to each and every one of the mentioned dishes. So I beg for your patience until then)

This spice mix goes very well in all sorts of stews, grilled meat, it adds up greatly in any saucy meals such as tagines too. In Morocco Ras El Hanout is like the real deal and as such it’s a little bit pricy to get the real quality one therefore Moroccan housewives will not waste it to any food. It’s generally used for the making of the traditional Friday’s ( Jummah) Couscous or used for meals made for special occasions, such as the two Eid or for wedding and circumcision celebrations.

This aromatic mix doesn’t just seduce with its great blend of taste, it also has a very nice, distinctive smell which is another feature that helps making Ras El Hanout so popular. Tourists who know about it often buy it as a souvenir to take back home ( but before you do so, please check with your local authorities for the laws of bringing in spices as you don’t want trouble at the airport do you?).

Now, I’ve come to share the recipe of this special spice mix. I must warn you: this is time consuming and you may face some trouble in getting on or more of the ingredients so only start with this, if you are the adventurous type or if you are crazy about cooking. Otherwise it’s great fun to do, to experiment with.

Things to Bear in Mind:

Now, there are several subtypes of Ras El Hanout with the traditional recipes containing over 30 spices but today most households use the more basic version, however don’t you worry, you will find plenty of spices in this one too.  If you want the proper result, you would need to work with the grounding of each spice too. This would need a spice grinder or any shape or form. If you go ahead and mix the powders your mix will be ready sooner but would be at a much lower efficiency when used in dishes.

So, onto the recipe:

How to make Ras el Hanout at home – simplified style

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cardamom

2 tsp ground mace

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp turmeric/curcuma

1 tsp ground allspice mix*

1/2 tsp black pepper powder or freshly grounded

1/2 tsp white pepper powder or freshly grounded

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper powder or freshly grounded

1/2 tsp grounded anise seeds

1/4 tsp cloves

* If you don’t have any clue about Allspice click here.

**If you do not have allspice at hand click here to learn how to substitute it.

If you are missing one spice it’s no huge deal to leave it out.

You can also use ½ tsp of the following spices if you have them at hand:

• Caraway seeds
• Fennel seeds ( also to substitute anise)
• Nutmeg flowers
• Cuceb berries
• Caper berries
• Guinea pepper berries
• Ash tree fruit
• Saffron

Preparation: this is the easiest part

• Put all the previously well-measured spices into a bowl and stir them to get them evenly mixed.
• After being ready put the whole mix into a glass jar or container and store it in a cool, dry place away from excessive heat or sunlight

Measure out all spices into a bowl, then stir to combine evenly. Transfer the spice mix to a glass jar and and store in a dry, cool place away from heat and sunlight.

If you want to take a look at how the traditional Ras El Hanout is being made with all the ingredients (and there’s tons! Most of it are spices I myself never heard of before) then click here to read and learn more about the making of it.