View source for Ras el Hanout

[[category:Moroccan]][[category:Gravity84's Recipes]][[category:Spice blend]][[category:Stew]][[category:curry]][[category:African]][[category:North African]]
Recipe by [[:category:Gravity84's Recipes|Gravity84]]


Ras el Hanout or "Top of the Shop" is a spice mix from Morocco.  As it's name implies, it is a blend of the best spices that any particular merchant has to offer and contains dozens of spices, some recipes are said to have over 100.  Because it is based completely on what any given shop has that is of good quality, the ratios and ingredients are never really set in stone, but many have a few things in common.  The following is a recipe from Modernist Cuisine, scaled back to make enough for one batch of a tagine.

[[File:raselhanout.jpg]]


==Ingredients==
 Amt(g)  %Scale  Ingredient
 10g	100%	Ginger powder
 7.5g	75%	Turmeric powder
 6.25g	62.5%	Black peppercorns
 3.75g	37.5%	Coriander seeds, toasted
 3g	30%	Grains of paradise, toasted
 1.375g	13.75%	Cinnamon stick
 1.375g	13.75%	Star anise, toasted
 1.35g	13.5%	Dried chile*
 1.25g	12.5%	Dried rosebuds
 1g	10%	Allspice
 0.9g	9%	Cubeb pepper, toasted
 0.5g	5%	Clove
 0.5g	5%	Nutmeg

*you can control the heat level of your Ras el Hanout by choosing your dried chile appropriately.  Japones, arbol, pequin, etc will all be very hot.  Habanero will add a fruity note that you may or may not want.  Guajillo, ancho, etc will be milder and more raisiny.  Paprika will just add "chile" flavor with pretty much no heat.

===Gravity84 Additions===
 1g	10%	cumin seed, toasted
 1g	10%	Nigella seed
 1g	10%	black mustard seed, toasted

===Other common spices===
The following spices are listed in various other recipes found on the internet or in articles about Ras el Hanout.  I have not tested using them but they are worth mentioning since the recipe for Ras el Hanout is not a firmly defined thing.

 Lavender 
 Mace
 galangal
 long pepper
 saffron
 fenugreek
 alligator pepper
 Ashanti pepper
 Belladonna berries
 Orris root
 Ajwain
 Mastic
 Ash berries
 Senegal Pepper
 Monk's Pepper
 Green and/or Black Cardamom, toasted

==Procedure==
Measure the spices that do not need to be toasted and put them into a grinder of choice (clean coffee grinder, magic bullet, mortar and pestle).  Measure the spices that need to be toasted and place them in a dry skillet.  Toast them on high heat, stirring constantly until they begin to pop and are fragrant.  Transfer to grinder and pulverize all of the ingredients until they are a very fine powder.  Use in soups, stews, tagines, as a rub for grilled meats, or as a seasoning for rice or cous cous.