A slew of North African spices combine to make a fragrant, exotic mixture. Whether used as a grill rub, when pan-frying fish or as the foundation for tagine, diverse, distinctive ras el hanout is worth the investment and effort to make.
Note: Though this heady Moroccan spice blend can be purchased at ethnic markets and online at Amazon.com, there's something particularly rewarding about making it from scratch.
Recipe Details
Homemade Ras el Hanout Recipe
Ingredients
One 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon whole cubeb pepper
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
10 green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
8 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried anise seeds
1 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon, plus 1/2 teaspoon, sweet paprika, divided use
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground mace
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon dried rosebud petals
1 teaspoon lavender
Directions
Add cinnamon, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cubeb, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, allspice berries, cloves, and anise seed to a dry skillet set to medium-low heat. Lightly toast until fragrant and a shade darker, shaking so spices don’t burn (about two minutes). Cool slightly and remove cardamom seeds from pods by tapping with something heavy, such as a pestle. Discard pods.
Add remaining ras el hanout spices and toasted spices to a small coffee grinder used only for grinding spices. Pulse the grinder to get things started, and let it run until the mixture is ground into a fine powder. Store in an airtight jar in a dark, cool place until ready to use.
Special equipment
Coffee grinder for spice-use only, pestle
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
---|---|
9 | Calories |
0g | Fat |
2g | Carbs |
0g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
---|---|
Servings: 16 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 9 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 0g | 0% |
Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
Sodium 2mg | 0% |
Total Carbohydrate 2g | 1% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 3% |
Total Sugars 0g | |
Protein 0g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 2% |
Calcium 14mg | 1% |
Iron 1mg | 4% |
Potassium 41mg | 1% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |