Ras El Hanout
Chansons de Le Chef et Le Chat
While browsing playlists late at night, I accidentally stumbled across Manu Dibango. His music immediately spoke to me. Upon research, I found that his song, “Soul Makossa,” inspired one of Michael Jackson’s most famous lines. I’m sure you could hear what it was. While Manu was from Cameroon, not Morocco, he is still considered a titan in the African music scene.
An abundance of herbs, spices, and aromatics rendevous at The Red City for a batch of Ras el hanout.
Ingredients:
This particular blend of spices has an element of “Chef’s Choice,” so feel free to add, subtract, or replace any ingredients that you see fit.
2 teaspoons Cumin
2 teaspoons Ginger
2 teaspoons Turmeric
1.5 teaspoons Cinnamon
1.5 teaspoons Coriander
1.5 teaspoons Nutmeg
1 teaspoon Allspice
1 teaspoon Cloves
1 teaspoon Cardamom
0.5 teaspoon Black Pepper
0.5 teaspoon White Pepper
0.5 teaspoon Paprika
0.5 teaspoon Cayenne (Adjust to taste)
0.25 teaspoon Saffron
Consider adding:
Anise Seeds
Smoked Paprika
Ground Mustard
Fennel Seeds
Chili Flakes
Dried Flowers, such as Rose Petals
Dried Lemon Zest
Dried Lavander
Dried Mint
Sumac
Szechuan Peppercorns
-And many more!
Instructions:
Add all blended spices into a bowl and mix to remove clumps.
If you can find fresh herbs and spices, consider toasting them to deepen the flavor profile. Add any whole pieces to a mortar and pestle or a blender.
Ras el Hanout is an ancient blend of spices that was born in the northern region of Africa. This blend of ever-changing flavors was popularized by merchants who would make their own unique flavor palate with ingredients sourced from distant lands. Its direct translation is, “head of the shop,” in reference to the fact that each blend is made with only the finest products that are offered at each individual shop. Often, families in the region would have had a dedicated merchant that they relied on for the particular blend that could not be found anywhere else. Today, a mix of the aforementioned ingredients has been widely accepted in stores around the world. With that said, the spirit of Ras el hanout is created by the chef, and can be molded in any way seen fit. It’s used in many dishes like grilled meats and tagine, as well as even being incorporated into some desserts and baked goods.
