Moroccan spice - Ras el hanout - Rass el hanout - Raz-el-hanout
Ras el hanout have the distinction of being different from a spice merchant to another, in fact this mixture may contain more than forty different spices but usually contain about twenty spices. Those who are sold in supermarkets usually contain only 4 to 6 spices.
EtymologyRas el hanout or Rass el hanout literally means "head of the shop", it is the spice merchant who make his own mixture with the best spices he have.
Ras el hanout may be different from one store to another, the proportions of each spice used are different and specific to the spice merchant who makes his trademark.
Ras el hanout is the most commonly used spice in the Moroccan cuisine, it is used practically in all tagines but it is also used for the couscous and other dishes of meat or fish.
Its compositionGenerally, it is composed of: Black Pepper, Cardamom, Mace, Nutmeg, Long pepper, Clove, Turmeric, Ginger, Galanga, Maniguette, Cubeb, Cinnamon, sedge, Iris, Lavender, Baharat, Nigella, Monk's Pepper...
Health BenefitsIt depends on its exact composition, ras el hanout provides anti-inflammatory, digestive, antiseptic and stimulating.
- You could make your own Ras el hanout spice by grinding the spices yourself in a spice grinder...
- As all spices, it should be stored in an airtight container and away from heat to maintain its freshness longer.
Still hungry for more? Ok! some others spices used in moroccan cuisine :