Ingredient Spotlight: Ras el Hanout

If you like to cook Moroccan food, then one thing you need to have in your spice rack is Ras el Hanout.

Ras el Hanout is a spice blend common in North African cooking, and features especially heavily in Moroccan cuisine. The name in Arabic means "head of the shop," and literally refers to the best spices the store has to offer. Each shop has their own unique secret blend, but a typical Ras el Hanout contains a mixture of cardamom, clove, cinnamon, paprika, coriander, cumin, mace, nutmeg, peppercorn, and turmeric. Some other shops may add more exotic ingredients such as ash berries, chufa, Grains of Paradise, orris root, Monk's pepper, cubebs, or dried rosebud.

The spice is used in marinades, as a rub, as a seasoning in many dishes, and as a condiment. Moroccans believe it has aphrodisiac properties.

Ras el Hanout can be found in upscale grocers such as Whole Foods, Middle Eastern markets, and online at Amazon.com.

(Image: Amazon)

Comments (5)

World Market carries little packets for $1.49. I like their ras el-hanout because it contains lavender, rose petals, and several other ingredients that I haven't seen in most brands, whose ingredient lists look pretty much like a 50/50 blend of mild curry powder and garam masala. I've made my own blend from whole spices, but nearly destroyed the top of my mini-mill doing it.

I mix up and grind my own--mostly because I want the cardamom to be as fresh as possible. The process takes only a couple of minutes.

Put it on your oatmeal. Especially nice with raisins and brown sugar.

Pensey's is a great place to find all kinds of spices and spice mixes-they have quite a few mixes like this...and the whole spices to mix your own

I put it in most of my stews, especially when it served with couscous.