¿What is Ras el Hanout?
The Ras el Hanout spice is a seasoning mix traditionally used in North African cuisine.
The translation of Ras el Hanout means “head of the store“. This is because each spice merchant mixes and offers their own assortment of seasonings based on their own personal taste.
In this way it is possible to find stores that offer a more spicy version, while on the other hand, another merchant can strive to get an exquisite aroma more soft and subtle.
¿What is Ras el Hanout used for?
There are many uses for Ras El Hanout, the mixture of spices and condiments is often used for couscous recipes (also known as Cuscus) and meat and chicken dishes.
Ras el Hanout it is especially good with dark meat. That’s why this selection of Moroccan condiments are also often used in Tajine and soups.
Another use of Ras El Hanout is to flavor rice or bulgur with it. In turn, it is widely used in stews.
It is also widely used in dishes such as cúscus and pasta.
Ras el Hanout is a mixture of very aromatic spices and should not be used excessively when cooking. This is due to the intense aromatic characteristics that quickly cover the flavors of food. Therefore, use it sparingly and add this mixture of Tunisian spices gradually in your dishes.
¿What is the flavor of Ras el Hanout?
Ras el Hanout is a mixture of sweet aromas such as clove or cinnamon and spicy flavors such as chili or ginger. In general, it gives an exotic flavor between sweet and spicy. No doubt it should be a must-have product in your recipients and spice makers.
With the Ras el Hanout spice you can get an original oriental style in the local cuisine. As soon as you open the package of spices, the exotic aroma flows to your mouth.
What is the best recipe for ras el hanout?
There really is no one better than another, each “Head of the store” prepares it according to his own taste.
If you prefer a more spicy flavor you can prepare it with more pepper, however if you like the sweeter flavors you can add more cinnamon. Make your own Ras el Hanout ¡You are the head of the store!
¿What’s in the Ras el Hanout spice?
The Moroccan blend of Ras el Hanout often consists of more than 20 individual spices, which become a mixture of oriental seasonings that give an exotic flavor and aromatic properties to your dishes, typical of Arabic foods.
The exact composition varies as each spice merchant or manufacturer prints their own taste to the Ras el Hanout recipe, so knowing what each preparation takes is a challenge.
However, most of these oriental spices are made up of:
- Cumin
- Turmeric
- Coriander
- Pepper
- Chile
- Ginger
- Cloves
- Rosebuds
- Anise
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cardamom
- Galanga
- Jaimacan pepper
- Lavender
Among other spices and aromatic herbs.
¿How to make Ras el Hanout step by step at home?
If you do not have the spice mix at home, you can make a homemade mix.
Ingredients needed:
- 2 teaspoons coriander seed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
- 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom seed
- 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seed
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
Preparation of the Arab spices mixture
If you want to make your own Ras El Hanout substitute, maybe you want to try this recipe
Step 1: Toast the seeds and grains in a thick-bottomed pan for a minute.
Step 2: Put the peppercorns in a pinion or automatic food processor to grind the seeds or shred the toasted spices.
Step 3: Add the remaining spices together with salt to taste.
Step 4: With the help of a mortar and pestle, process the seeds and other spices until obtaining a product that is homogeneous.
Step 5: Enjoy this delicious Ras el Hanout home made by “the head” of the home.
Some advices
- Store this mixture in an airtight container.
- Consume this seasoning within 30 days after its preparation.
How to substitute Ras El Hanout Spice
As the Ras El Hanout is a mixture of spices it is quite simple to replace, since you can create your own recipe.
However, we recommend that you do not miss your mix:
- Cumin
- Coriander
- Ginger powder
- Cayenne
These preparations can serve as a spontaneous substitute of Ras el Hanout for tajine dishes and many other recipes.
¡Watch this video with another recipe and let’s make a substitute for ras el hanout!
This is an alternative to Ras El Hanout, the blend of spices that will provide an exotic oriental flavor to your dishes.
¿Where to buy Ras el Hanout?
If you are wanting to get these exotic spices and do not know where to buy them, do not worry, you should not travel east to get this mixture of spices.
So if you ask “Where to buy Ras el Hanout?”, we recommend that you look for online retailers as they are a good source of supply; because there is always a wide selection of oriental mix at the best available price, so it is a good idea to buy Ras El Hanout at Amazon.
In addition to excellent offers and competitive prices, it also has the great advantage of sending your order directly to your home very quickly.
The presentations are usually simple in almost all brands, so you should not judge the quality of this condiment of Moroccan origin using its packaging as selection criteria. The content is very convincing because of the smell and taste.
Otherwise, a good alternative is the stores specializing in oriental foods, which generally have offers of Ras el Hanout spice mixes.
It is also possible to find this combination of spices and condiments in large stores such as Wallmart or Carrefour.
This oriental mix can also be found in its gluten-free version in stores, which is excellent news for celiacs.
¿What should I pay attention when buying?
When buying the Ras el hanout, you must ensure that they do not mix with artificial dyes and flavor enhancers.
In addition, one should know that the composition of the spice mix varies from one supplier to another. That makes the comparison much more difficult.
Therefore, it is useful to look at the opinions of other clients, this will allow you to make the best choice when selecting a mix according to the desired objective.
This is where portals like Amazon offer a clear advantage, not only because of the great offers, the unbeatable economic prices and the possibility of receiving the product directly in your home, but also you can check the reviews of other people who have purchased the product previously.
So if you have doubts about where to buy Ras el Hanout, the giant of electronic commerce is a strategic ally that facilitates a lot the acquisition.
In general, you should make sure that the spices are in a harmonious mixture and that there is not a spice that stands out from the rest, dulling the flavor as a whole.
However, as we mentioned at the beginning, each “Head” prepares this seasoning combination according to his own recipe.
This has as a consequence that sometimes they are more inclined to favor one ingredient over another, modifying the aromatic characteristics and the taste of the final product.
Lifetime and storage
It is not possible to make a general statement about how long the Ras el Hanout spice is preserved. The shelf life depends, among other things, on which spices are included and how fresh they were processed. For purchased spice mixes, the manufacturer’s expiration date is a good guide.
In addition, it can also help with proper storage to prolong shelf life and preserve aromas for a long time.
Dry spices are best stored in places:
- Dry
- Dark
- Fresh
- Hermetically sealed
Therefore, this spice mixture should not be kept near the stove or oven. They are places from which emanates a temperature that not only is not optimal for storage, but is harmful.
This exotic blend of spices will be best preserved in an airtight container in a dark kitchen cabinet.
Ras el hanout’s Contraindications
The Ras el Hanout adds a distinctive touch and flavors from the east to your dishes making it a pleasant experience to try.
However, they are not recommended for those who suffer from hemorrhoids, suffer ulcers or other problems associated with the stomach.
Properties of Ras el Hanout
Each “head of the store” will prepare their own recipe of the Moroccan mixture, so that their properties can vary according to how it is composed, however turmeric, ginger and cinnamon can not be absent.
Therefore, we can list the properties of Ras el Hanout as the following:
- Antioxidant
- Carminative
- Digestive
- Hepatoprotector
- Diuretic
- Detoxifier
- Antiulcer
- Astringent
- Anti-inflammatory
Among others, remember that the properties it confers will vary depending on the combination of ingredients used.
For the Ras el Hanout there is no standard recipe and this also happens for its properties and benefits that will depend on how each “store manager” prepares the spice.
Benefits of using Ras el Hanout in your meals
This mixture of spices has many more benefits than just giving an excellent aroma and flavor to your dishes.
While it is true that not all combinations of this oriental species have the same ingredients, if there are some that are inevitable such as ginger, cinnamon or turmeric.
Being the union of multiple condiments, combines the best of them all to offer benefits to your health as for example one of the properties of Ras el Hanout is that it accelerates all the processes carried out in the digestion.
In parallel, its natural origin also offers antioxidant properties that serve as a shield against certain diseases.
Turmeric that is known for its anti-inflammatory power is also part of the composition of this oriental blend of spices.
Another constituent element of this great mixture is the anise that has antispasmodic and carminative benefits; helping to eliminate excess gas and combat heartburn.
Thanks to cinnamon, it also contributes to weight loss and improves the use of blood sugar, which makes it possible to control diabetes.
In addition, this Moroccan spice helps improve the absorption of nutrients as a direct result of the benefits of ginger.
Nutmeg brings its benefits against insomnia by acting as an organic and natural somniferous that reduces anxiety and combats various sleep disorders.
Pepper in the mixture promotes blood circulation.
And you have already tried it?