Ras-el-Hanout

The ingredients of this mixed spice (the name literally meaning ‘roof of the shop’) shift with the wind, the country and the humour of the cook. In Tunisia, a reduced version of pepper, cinnamon, cloves and dried rosebuds is used. In Morocco it achieves monumental proportions with anything between 15 and 30 ingredients, including cardamon, mace, nutmeg, pepper, curcuma (turmeric), ginger and belladonna berries. Other variations may include allspice, aniseed, belladonna leaves, black cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cantharides (a type of beetle), cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, earth almonds, galangal, ginger, dried lavender, mace, nutmeg, oris root and dried rose buds. Ras-el-hanout can be purchased by mail order or from one of the many food and spice markets in North Africa.