A glorious North African spice blend with incredible depth and complexity. This all-purpose blend is commonly made with things like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and ginger. With its unique taste, it turns every meal into a gourmet dish. These five recipes will reignite (and hopefully conquer) your cooking palette using the spice that is ras el hanout.
Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Moroccan cooking and the flavour of a tagine served in a classic chicken one. The dish consists of chicken pieces, loosely chopped vegetables and spices simmered together to perfection. The ras el hanout makes this dish very aromatic and delicious while still being filling and exotic all at once.
Ingredients:
- Chicken thighs
- Two tbsp ras el hanout
- One onion, sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- Bell peppers, chopped
- Carrots, sliced
- 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- Two cups of chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Chicken should be added and cooked till golden brown on all sides.
- Take the chicken out and let it rest.
- Saute the onion and Garlic until soft in the same pot.
- Add ras el hanout; cook 1 minute more.
- There, place the bell peppers and carrots and cook until slightly charred.
- Add the chickpeas and broth, return chicken to the pot;
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and continue to cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
- Pair this tagine with couscous or flatbread for a full meal.
Spiced Lentil Soup
Follow on: 5 min read This robust lentil soup is ideal for warming up on a cool day. This adds really lovely spice to the soup and makes it heavy and hearty and contributes to a nice healthy flavor and Ras el hanout.
Ingredients:
- One cup of lentils
- 2 tablespoons of ras el hanout
- One onion, chopped
- Two carrots, diced
- Two celery stalks, chopped
- 3 Cloves of minced garlic
- Six cups of vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the onion, carrots, and celery, cooking until soft.
- Add in garlic and ras el hanout and cook for an additional minute.
- Add lentils and broth.
- Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 30 mins or so until the lentils are tender.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with a hunk of crusty bread for a hearty meal.
Grilled Lamb Chops
Ras el hanout gives lamb chops a whole new dimension. Here is a recipe for a savoury and aromatic delight.
Ingredients:
- Lamb chops
- 3 tbsp ras el hanout
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Dust lamb chops in ras el hanout, salt and pepper.
- Drizzle with olive oil, and let marinate for no less than 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Sear lamb chop on a grill 4-5 minutes on both sides for medium-rare
- Rest for a few minutes and serve.
- Serve these chops with a crunchy salad or roasted vegetables for a well-rounded meal.
Vegetable Couscous
Couscous is another light recommendation if you garnish it with vegetables and spices. This basic dish is defined with a hint of sweetness with the addition of ras el hanout.
Ingredients:
- One cup of couscous
- 2 tablespoons ras el hanout
- One zucchini, diced
- 1 chile bell pepper red, diced
- Paper cut on cherry tomatoes, cut in half horizontally
- Two cups of vegetable broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Boil the broth in a pot.
- Stir in couscous and ras el hanout.
- Shake off heat & cover, & allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Fluff couscous with a fork.
- Heat oil in a skillet, then add zucchini and bell pepper and cook until tender.
- Toss in cherry tomatoes, salt, and pepper.
- Vegetables and couscous: stir and serve.
- Serve it with grilled meats, or eat it alone.
Spiced Rice Pilaf
Ras el hanout rice pilaf is a flavorful and fragrant side dish. Its easy-to-understand pattern allows you to serve it with many forms of main course meals.
Ingredients:
- One cup of basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons ras el hanout
- One onion, chopped
- Two cups of chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.
- Saute the onion until translucent.
- Stir in the rice and ras el hanout.
- Add brodo and bring to a boil.
- Cover and reduce the heat to low, simmer for 15 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper.
- An excellent accompaniment to a multitude of proteins or as a dish all its own, this pilaf was so full of flavour.
See also: Easily Make the Perfect Tuna Melt at Home
Conclusion
Ras el hanout is the North African spice that adds exotic flair to weeknight dinners. These are just some examples of the versatility of something that can take common ingredients and make a dish remarkable. Be it a warm bowl of soup or a spiced tagine pot, this spice mixture will come in handy for all the culinary experiments. Savour its lively taste and scent that you add to your culinary creations.