Ras el hanout
Ras el hanout is a great Moroccan spice blend that comes in as many varieties in North Africa as there are varieties of curry in East Asia. The words "Ras el hanout" are often translated as "the head of the spice merchant", but "the head of the shop" seems to be a more accurate translation, as it leans on the English translation "head of the shop". Regardless, the name should allude to the fact that it is a personal blend of spices that varies from store to store with the best blend of spices the store can offer.
Ras el hanout goes really well with lamb, beef, chicken and vegetarian dishes made in a pot or tagine. The mixture also goes really well with soups and fish and is perfect to spice up a bowl of couscous or bulgur.
You will need that
- 1 tsp. Cumin, ground
- 1 tsp. black pepper, ground
- 1 tsp. coriander, minced
- 1 tsp. cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp. cardamom, crushed
- 2 tsp. cinnamon crushed
- 2 tsp. turmeric, ground
- 2 tsp. paprika, ground
- 2 tsp. Nutmeg, freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp ginger, minced (can be omitted)
- 1 tsp. ground fennel seeds (optional)
- 10 small dried rose hips (can be omitted)
Don't let the ingredient list scare you! several of the things can be omitted, and the remaining spices can be used later for the Christmas baking – unless you become so crazy about our Ras el hanout recipe that you use up all the spices.
If you would like to add some extra heat to the spice mixture, you can, for example, add half to a full teaspoon. cayenne pepper.
Course of action
Pour all the spices into a bowl and mix them well. It's that easy. Now you have your own homemade Ras-el-hanout, which you can adjust and develop so that it fits exactly to your taste, and you can make your own take on a Ras-el-hanout recipe. You can easily make a larger portion with a tablespoon, as the spice mixture can last as long as it says on your spices - as long as you store it in an airtight container.
If you want to make the mixture COMPLETELY from scratch, dry-roast seeds of cumin, coriander, cardamom and fennel, as well as peppercorns and cloves (in the same proportions as in the recipe) in the pan until an aromatic fragrance emerges. Then crush them in a mortar and mix them with the rest of the spices.
Bon appetite!
