Moroccan Spices

To better understand Moroccan food, one most certainly needs to know the Moroccan spices involved in this cuisine. It is the secret behind every tagine.

Ras el hanout:

These Moroccan spices are a mixture used in Morocco and North Africa. It is Warm and fragrant, moderately spicy, perfect in tagines and other stews, couscous, delicacies, butter, honey and almonds. This is a veriety that includes:

* The rosebuds * Root of the iris * Cantharides (beetle) * The melegueta pepper * Lavender * Cardamom * Mace * Galanga * Long pepper * Pepper shank * Nutmeg * Chilli Jamaica * Cinnamon * Cloves * Ginger (my favorite of all Moroccan spices) * Black pepper * Turmeric * Black cumin, etc..

1. Cardamom: "Qâqulla" seed of a ginger. (Malabar, Sri Lanka).

2. Mace: "Bsibissa, aril that surrounds the kernel of the nutmeg. (Java, Sumatra).

3. Galangal: "Khoudenjal, ginger rhizome of cultivated and wild in the Far East, mainly People's Republic of China.

4. Melegueta pepper "Gouzé sahraouia" seed of a ginger. (Côte d'Ivoire).

5. Nutmeg: "Gouzet ettib" nut of the nutmeg fruit. (Sumatra, Java).

6. Nutmeg: "Gouzé el boultia" full fruit of the nutmeg. (Java, Sumatra).

7. Allspice "Nouioura" chili. (Jamaica, West Indies). A very different kind of peppers despite its name.

8. Cantharide: "Debbie elhand, powdered beetle, is actually a poison in bigger quantities, also a reputed aphrodisiac. (Mediterranean region).

9. Cinnamon: "QARFA" bark of a tree in the family Lauraceae: cinnamon. (India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka).

10. Cyperaceae "Tara soudania, very fragrant rhizome. (Sudan).

11. Long pepper: "Dhar felfel" fruit of the "Piper longum. (India and Malaysia).

12. Clove: "Oud nouar" bud of the clove (Myrtaceae). (Zanzibar).

13. Turmeric: "Qrçoub or kharkoum, rhizome of a ginger colored yellow. (India , tropical countries).

14. Ginger: "Skinjbir, rhizome of Zingiber officinale grown in tropical countries. (Indochina, Japan).

15. Iris: "Oud lamber, rhizome of Iris germanica. (High Atlas).

16. Black pepper: "Elbzar" fruit of the pepper. (Tropical Asia).

17. Lavender: "Khzama" flower of Lavandula vera. (France, Morocco).

18. Rosebuds "Rious el ward is the rose of Damascus imported from Persia by the Arabs and cultivated in the valleys of Dades, Todra, Ferkla.

19. Star Anise and star anise from China, "Dar el sini" bark of a tree of the laurel family. (Tropical Asia).

20. Fruit Ash: "Lissan Ettir, imported from Europe as an aphrodisiac.

21. Berries of belladonna "Zbibet el laïdour, dried berries harvested Chichaouen, it takes very little.

22. Nigella: "Habba el Saouda sanouj or" seeds cultivated in Morocco.

23. "Gouzé el asnab" balls of seeds planted, agglomerated.

24. White pepper: "lbzar Labiad" thinner than the gray. (Japan).

25. Fruit of Milkweed "Hil el habachi.

26. Cubeb "qebaba" fragrant black pepper. (Indies and Borneo).

27. Pepper monks' kheru "Bay gatillier (Morocco).

28. Fenugreek "Halba"

there are also other plants in this mixture but herbalists keep them secrets.

Many of the components of Ras el Hanout are recognized to be therapeutic or have healing ability these include the following:

* Cumin is said to relieve pain and diarrhea easy to digest.

* Cinnamon is said to improve blood circulation and combat fatigue.

* Cilantro is believed to remove toxins.

* Turmeric is said to be a diuretic.

* Cardamom known to battle aerophagia and perfumes the breath.

* The anise, star anise and caraway may help digestion.

* Fenugreek gives appetite and contains phosphorus.

* The clove is a powerful antiseptic.

* The black cumin is believed to be a true panacea, they say here, it cures everything but death ...

Cumin: warm, Called "Kamoun," is the most widely used spice in the Moroccan kitchen. Its strong aroma and hot, just spicy, has citron like note. Moulue is the spice featuring skewers of meat and marinades. Its flavor marries well with lemon sauce and mixes pleasantly with fish.

Saffron: It is gold and powerful and is the most expensive of all Moroccan spices and in the world because it uses only three red-orange stigmas, which are levied at the main. Its strength is really its sunny flavor and a deep yellow color. It's great for tagines and fish balls. It is preferred in threads (its original state).

Cinnamon: delicately spiced and very loved in Morocco for its sweet aroma, delicately spicy and intense. It is a stick in the form of bark or powder, the scent of orange salad and wonderful pastilla, this is used for irresistible millefeuilles or for stuffed poultry.

Ginger: Lemon Ginger is intense and has a lemony taste and a peppery, pungent flavor. It goes with other Moroccan spices very well for the pastilla, casseroles, fish and also pastry. It mingles well with cinnamon and almonds for delicious macaroons.

Ras el hanout: very mysterious mixture present in Moroccan cuisine, the most authentic would consist of 24 to 27 spices! It has hot and spicy flavor, used for tagines, rice cakes, but also rich in fruits and honey.

There is more to come about Moroccan spices. So stay in touch!