ras el hanout

Sometimes we get used to cooking with certain spices, but every now and then its good to break out of our normal culinary box and embark on a culinary adventure by trying a new spice or spice blend. You will be amazed at how much excitement can happen in the kitchen!

Take for example, ras el hanout,some of you may have heard about this exquisite spice blend and some of you might have even used it, but if you haven't, then you are in for a real treat.

Ras el hanout, loosely translated in Arabic means head of the shop which refers to the best spice the store has to offer. This king of spice blend reigns supreme in most North African cuisine, particularly Moroccan food. I recall as a child when I used to accompany my mother to the spice bazaar where each shop had their own unique ras el hanout. Continue reading →

In my opinion, I find that cumin is one of the most aromatic spices on the planet with its earthy, pungent aroma and hints of sweet, lemony-pine scent. The seeds have a strong and slightly bitter flavor, but when they are toasted in hot oil or a dry pan, the bitterness and strong pungency gives way to a smooth nutty flavor. No wonder it is one of the most widely used spices, especially when creating curry dishes or for making hummus.

The black cumin,also called kala jeera, is a relative of the brown cumin, but produces much smaller seeds that are thinner and less pungent. Actually, they are just a darker version of the brown cumin seeds, yet the difference between the two is not only the color but in the flavor as well. The black seeds are more reminiscent of fennel with a sweeter lemony caraway flavor. Continue reading →