Ras el Hanout
Fresh spices, roasted cauliflower, perfect steamed rice, and a bowl of soothing lentils are a few of my favorite things. Well, yes, of course there is raindrops on roses. Actually, raindrops on anything.. And one of my favorite spice blends is Ras el Hanout.
What is Ras El Hanout
It is a classic Moroccan spice blend, the name means the king of the shop.
It is filled memories of all things warm and delicious. I make this blend with the most common staples of my spice closet. Ras el Hanout is typically the spice of choice for a tagine. Speaking of a tagine, this flavorful creation is typically marked by the fact that it is cooked in a tagine. I do have one, I use it sparingly. I often take the easy way out and use the instant pot.
Some more DIY spice blend from this site include,
These three are enough to get you started for the moment.
All these blends are very versatile and pack loads of flavor. Bright and beautiful and good for you. Nothing not to like about them.
What to use Ras El Hanout for
I mostly use this blend as a spice rub and base for the deeply flavored tagines. As with a lot of popular blends, this includes a good well rounded base of flavors. Another happy addition to my spice closet.
A Sunday Routine
This is typically my Sunday routine to replenish my fresh spice blend supplies. Naturally, I go through my more commonly used blends quicker than the others. Making your own spice blends is easy. And of course, in addition to freshness doing it yourself does save you a wee bit of money.
Ingredients
- 1/2 a nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 1 large stick cinnamon, about 3 inches broken into smaller pieces
- a few blades of mace
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 and half teaspoons dried ginger powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 teaspoon dried paprika
Instructions
- Place the nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, mace, black peppercorns, allspice and coriander seeds in the spice or coffee grinder and grind to a powder.
- Place in a mixing bowl and add in the dried ginger, turmeric, dried mint, and paprika and mix well.
- Store in an air tight jar in a cool dry place.
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