Ras el Hanout

[Swisskaese]

This topic is in regard to the mystery ingredient I suggested in Marlene and Sam's Foodblog.

I will preface this with I am not an expert in using this ingredient. I hope that my guru, Paula Wolfert will lend a hand in explaining the history of this spice and its traditional uses.

Chef Zadi, I am sure can also lend a hand in this.

Since moving to Israel, I have had the great fortune to have a wealth of spices to play with. There is a great spice shop, Front Brothers at Shouk HaCarmel, about 10 minutes from my home in Tel Aviv and a new spice shop called Spices that provides an endless choice of spices to cook with.

I recently went to Spices and bought Ras el Hanout and some other blends for kebabs and rice that I have already played with.

Ras el Hanout was one of them.

Ras el Hanout is a Morrocan spice that has a very interesting mix of spices. Refer to the recipe I entered in RecipeGullet.

Traditionally it is used in lamb tagine, rice and couscous stuffings, a particular type of candy and some bistiyya recipes. It is considered to be somewhat of an aphrodisiac.

There are also different blends of this spice mix, because different regions, different cooks have their own take on what spices should be used.

With that said, I have used it in my stuffed eggplant dish (ground beef & rice), chicken and fish dishes, and experimented using it in a tart I made with peaches and apricots. It was very good.

Has anyone else used it as a non-traditional ingredient. If so, how?

Edited June 4, 2005 by Swisskaese (log)

[chefzadi]

Ras el hanout is a North African blend of spices. It is found in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. I would hesitate to say that there is a typical Algerian version that varies from the other countries. Afterall it is a special house blend of spices.

In terms of how spices are used overall there is a saying that is something like this "Morocco is the lion, Algeria is the man, Tunisia is the woman" meaning that Moroccan cooking overall employs a greater range of spices in more dishes than Tunisians. Algeria is the intermediary, where one will find elements of Tunisian and Moroccan cooking along with the countries own idiosyncrasies.

The addition of Spanish fly in some mixes is the reason behind it's purported aphrodisiac qualities.

I'm not sure if there is a direct question or answer on how to use it. I use it like other spice blends for the most part. But ras el hanout is highly aromatic and complex. Specifically for me it works more for marqas/tagines that have elements of fruit, nuts, sour flavors. Or on a more simple grilled meat or substantial fish served with simpler sides.

[divalasvegas]

What a great thread! I have always wondered about the differences in similar spice mixtures. In addition to ras al hanout, I have questions about baharat[/b.] Is there a significant difference between the two? When I first heard about baharat for instance, I was told that it originated in Iraq. However, I have had different people adamantly say that this mixture originated in Iran, Palestine, Lebanon, etc. An additional bone of contention is how it is to be used. Again, depending on the culture/ethnic group I have been told it should only be used with: fish or rice or lamb or chicken, etc.

I have recipes for both spice mixtures at home and I have seen many more online. What distinguishes ras al hanout from baharat? For both, some recipe resources say that you must make it by scratch from whole spices; others say pre-ground spices are not only okay but common. My humble understanding regarding ras al hanout[b/] is that no two are alike, and that it is always better to make your own unless, of course, your happen to live in Morocco. Or, the other reason for making it yourself is that traditional recipes may contain ingredients that have been proven to be toxic.

Once again, I love this topic.

[chefzadi]

that it is always better to make your own unless, of course, your happen to live in Morocco. Or, the other reason for making it yourself is that traditional recipes may contain ingredients that have been proven to be toxic.

or if you live in Algeria, Tunisia or France...

More and more I'm thinking of Maghrebi cuisine as just that, Maghrebi and not along national markers. I prefer regional to a certain extent. I've been talking about this with Rachid (Moroccan) and Anis (Tunisian, attend culinary school there and teaches with me in LA), as well others from North Africa. We are obviously more traveled than a Magrebi who has never left his village, but we really don't see many differences. Maybe a few dozen pages (more or less) can be written about the differences between the countries and then we can be done with it. I might be a little flippant with that remark, but hey I'm a native.

Ras el hanout includes a range of flavors from different spices. Sweet, hot, earthy, peppery spices as well as floral notes.

As for Baharat, I have some words on this as well. But I will leave it to the resident ME's, they can answer the question better than I can, especially in regards to how it is used within specific cuisines. The formulations for baharat I've seen are distinctive from ras el hanout, but not from other Maghrebi spice mixes. As I write this I suspect someone, somewhere will put out THE MOTHER of all Baharat spice mixes as one that is only found in the Mashriq.

As for the uses regarding specific mixtures, cook to please your palate. It's not like there are official rules about this in the Maghreb. Although individual cooks like to argue about this sometimes.

[Swisskaese]

I bought Baharat from a spice shop. There are several types (fine or coarse grind and a few variations in the spices) to choose from based on what they are going to be used for. The store I frequent has three different types: one for kubbeh, one for kebab and another for soup.

Most cooks buy the pre-mixed spices. I don't know anyone here that makes it from scratch. Of course we can tell that the spice mix is fresh and hasn't been sitting around for years.

Ras el Hanout and Baharat are definitely different. They may share a few of the same spices, but the two smell very different.

I would never consider using Baharat in sweet dishes. However, I would and have used Ras el Hanout in both savoury and sweet dishes.

The difference is that Baharat contains paprika, cumin and coriander. These spices are not found in Ras el Hanout.

I am planning to use Baharat in kebab and the Palestinian national dish Makloubeh.

Edited June 4, 2005 by Swisskaese (log)

[SuzySushi]

On the topic of Ras el Hanout and Baharat, on one of my trips to France, I discovered a supermarket spice mix I like very much called "Cuisinez Tout a la Marocaine" (by Ducros).

I've tried to replicate it at home to no avail -- can't seem to get the proportions right. The ingredients are: salt, onion, cumin, red pepper (piment), garlic, pepper (poivre), mint, and parsley.

Anyone have any suggestions? Is this a fairly standard Moroccan mix?

[chefzadi]

On the topic of Ras el Hanout and Baharat, on one of my trips to France, I discovered a supermarket spice mix I like very much called "Cuisinez Tout a la Marocaine" (by Ducros).

I've tried to replicate it at home to no avail -- can't seem to get the proportions right. The ingredients are: salt, onion, cumin, red pepper (piment), garlic, pepper (poivre), mint, and parsley.

Anyone have any suggestions? Is this a fairly standard Moroccan mix?

←

Sounds more like a French company capitalizing on the name ras el hanout as an exotic spice mixture.

For me ras el hanout should have some floral notes such as dried rose buds or lavender. And a greater range of spices. Sweet: cinnamon, nutmeg or mace. A little heat from ginger or galangal.

No garlic, oninon or salt, I don't think I would add herbs to it either. I've never seen this. Of course I have yet to live long enough to see everything.

[Adam Balic]

This is the blend I made a few months ago for a project:

Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, star anise, tumeric, ginger, allspice, green cardamon, black cardamon, wild fennel, long pepper, rose buds, cloves, grains of paradise, black pepper, chiles, coriander and cumin.

[Swisskaese]

This is the blend I made a few months ago for a project:

Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, star anise, tumeric, ginger, allspice, green cardamon, black cardamon, wild fennel, long pepper, rose buds, cloves, grains of paradise, black pepper, chiles, coriander and cumin.

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Looks very interesting.

What is grains of paradise?

[Adam Balic]

Grains of paradise are the reddish seeds directly below the green cardamon pods. They were used as substitute for black pepper in Medieval France, and also for spicing wine.

Grains of Paradise

[Pan]

Adam, do they taste much like black pepper? Also, thanks for linking to Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages, but I had to take note of this passage:

Apart from Morocco, grains of paradise are also popular in neighbouring Tunisia.

I seem to remember that there's a very large country between Morocco and Tunisia... [i wave to chefzadi] Why is Algeria so neglected in English-language discussions of Maghrebi cookery? Never mind; we should discuss that in a different thread.

[Adam Balic]

They don't taste like black pepper, but the have some 'heat' so that is why they were used as a replacement. They are aromatic, but also a bit bitter, so you have to be careful with them.

Is that were Algeria is? Who knew....

[chefzadi]

This is the blend I made a few months ago for a project:

Ceylon cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, star anise, tumeric, ginger, allspice, green cardamon, black cardamon, wild fennel, long pepper, rose buds, cloves, grains of paradise, black pepper, chiles, coriander and cumin.

←

Looks like a fragrant mixture. All the components are there. Lovely photo.

[Adam Balic]

Thanks chefzadi - I made this mixture for making the medieval Mrouzia that we discussed a while back.

[divalasvegas]

Thank you chefzadi, Adam--gorgeous photo--, Pan, Swisskaese, Suzy. All of this information has given me more to consider than I ever imagined. I feel a little silly, though, since my questions are likened to someone posting a question to the forum about what is the correct mix of spices for making chili in the U.S.

chefzadi, I think I'll take your advice, relax and experiment with different combinations. And not forget to have fun with it.

Thanks to all of you.