Ras El Hanout 4.0 Oz By Zamouri Spices

This is very close to the Ras el Hanout that you will find in the souks in Morocco. As the other reviewers have mentioned, "Ras el Hanout" translates to "Head of the Shop" in Darija (the name for the dialect of Arabic spoken in Morocco, a mixture of Arabic, French and Spanish) and is a blend of the best spices that a shop has. Remarkably this one has over 30 while many of the ones you'll find in a typical grocery store have only between 5 and 8.I don't use this spice often but when I do it's almost exclusively in a tagine (a Moroccan stew made of either chicken, beef or lamb). Note: tagines in Morocco are typically served with bread (as your utensil!) and not over couscous as many restaurants in the US do. Couscous is a dish itself in Morocco that features meat and vegetables.Many reviewers love to use this spice with mixed vegetables but I learned the hard way that for Moroccans this is an odd, even laughable use of the spice. Trying to impress my then girlfriend (now wife), I invited her over and had made, among other things, grilled vegetables with olive oil and, thinking I would win a lot points, a generous sprinkling of Ras el Hanout! Eagerly watching her reaction to her first bite of the vegetables (thinking she would be reminded of home and eagerly ask how I had managed to find out about the spice let alone find it), I was the one who ended up surprised when, with a somewhat disguted look on her face she asked, "Did you put Ras el Hanout on the vegetables?!" After smugly replying that I had she cracked up laughing and explaining how Ras el Hanout is really only used in stews and typically on certain holidays or for something special and it's definitely never used in a veggie dish! Needless to say, my wife who eats anything, could not finish them.I'm told by my father-in-law that Ras el Hanout is traditionally used in a chicken or fish stew on the day a woman gives birth and exactly a week later. A Google search produced no results yet a handful of other Moroccans have confirmed this. There's so much unknown about this exotic culture.

As with many ethnic spice mixtures, there is no one recipe for Ras el Hanout. Each family and spice merchant has their own, highly treasured and guarded version of this traditional blend. This particular product is of high quality and arrived fresh (which isn't always the case with spices that I have purchased on-line).Ras el Hanout starts off with strong, curry-like flavors that betrays it's Indian origins followed by subtle, traditional African flavors such as nigella and rosebuds. Although I was very pleased with this blend I do think that it is over-priced. I shop for most of my spices at ethnic markets (mostly Indian and Middle Eastern) and find their mixtures to be not only fresh but REALLY affordable. I am using this mixture with my new tagine and if I use it often enough I will seek out an African grocery store that has a similar product at a price that Moroccan expatriates will be willing to pay. If you don't live near a city that is large enough to have that type of store, then I think that this is the best Ras el Hanout available on-line. As a matter of fact, a tangine cookbook that I bought recently singled out Zamouri as THE source for this delicious, exotic blend.Tagines & Couscous: Delicious Recipes for Moroccan One-pot CookingEmile Henry Flame Top 2.6-Quart Tagine RedHarissa Paste 8.0 Oz By Zamouri Spices

Great spice mix at a decent price. Heavier on star anise and lighter on cinnamon than most Ras el Hanout mixes. Use more than you think, since it is not spicy and mellows out in the cooking.

After visiting Marrakesh, I was disappointed I didn't bring home any spices. I browsed online and other reviewers led me to this ras el hanout. Opening the pouch, and I am brought right back to the Moroccan spice market. I have used this spice is stews, sauces, chilis, and also with red meat. I feel that it works best with tomato and red meat dishes, as the ras al hanout always always brings my food to another level. One where someone would taste it and wonder ' what is that' but it is elusive and so many things I don't think any one would be able to really figure it out. What I like about this brand is that the mixture is about 13 different spices and the inexpensive spices (ie cinnamon) do not overwhelm the other spices.There is a good blend that includes: turmeric, star anise, lavender, cinnamon,ginger, fennel, cardamom, galangal, anise seed, garlic, paprika, ajwan seeds, rosebuds. This works great in slow cooker meals, especially traditional pot roast with potatoes and carrots. I find myself adding a tablespoon here and there when cooking. The package has lasted me over a year and it is a very good size and doesn't expire for another year. I highly recommend buying this spice blend!