What spices to buy in morocco?

 Morocco is very well known for its spices and their usage of them in food. Many people wonder what spices to buy in Morocco, today we’ll go over them in a bit more detail below.

Traditionally in Morocco, they cook with Tagines, a type of clay slow cooking pot that can be loaded with meat and vegetables, a little oil, and mixed spices

The famous collection of spices used in Morocco is called Ras El Hanout which is made up of many spices.

Ras El Hanout which literally translates as “head of the shop,” and, as the story goes, is a blend of as many as 100 exotic spices. It is a mixture that represents the peak of the spice blender’s art—hence its name.

Spices

Cumin

Cumin is a flowering plant belonging to the Apiaceae family that is native to the eastern Mediterranean and East India. Cumin seeds are used as a spice for their distinctive aroma and are very popular in North Africa including Morocco.

Cumin is also known to be an appetite enhancer. Seeds are usually crushed, then sprinkled on grilled meats. The spice is also widely utilized to flavor couscous.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is widely found throughout Morocco and is native to the country. Its flowers can be found arranged in panicles which have a green color and very distinct odor.

It has purple fruits that contain a single seed. They feature an aromatic essential oil that contributes to part of its composition.

The oil is usually prepared to crush the bark, soaking it then in seawater, finally distilling it as a whole.

In Morocco, cinnamon is used in meat dishes mainly such as lamb. It is also used in the granular format along with couscous and sprinkled with raisins.

Tumeric

Turmeric is the dried root of the plant Curcuma longa its bright yellow color can be related to that of ginger. Turmeric’s flavor resembles a combination of ginger and pepper and has a strong agent. It is widely used to color tajines or rice dishes.

Cayenne

Cayenne is red and comes from the chili pepper family.
Mainly used to flavor dishes.

Named after the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, the fruits are generally dried and ground, and baked into cakes, which are then ground and sifted to make the powdered spice known as cayenne pepper.

Cayenne is used mainly in hot and spicy dishes.

Corriander

Coriander is also known as cilantro, is native to North Africa and is a dried, ripe fruit of the herb. The brown seeds have a sweet aromatic flavor, a zesty combination of sage and citrus.

Coriander is used when cooking with lentils, beans, onions, and potatoes in Morocco. 

Saffron

Saffron, is a member of the Iris family. The stigmas must be gathered by hand, and one pound of saffron requires 225,000 of them. Saffron is also used as a colorant and flavoring for many seafood dishes, cheeses, and pastry and rice.

Saffron is native to the Mediterranean and is grown in the city of Tailouine in Morocco which is considered one of if not the premium source of Saffron in Africa.

It's very well known that Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world.

Ginger

Ginger is commonly used as a cooking spice throughout the world. In Morocco, it is a key ingredient in Ras El Hanout and is used to make the taste f chicken and other meats raise to a whole new level!

Ginger is known for its medicinal purposes and is thought to have originated in China and then spread to India, Southeast Asia, North Africa, and the Caribbean.

Paprika

Paprika is made from grinding dried sweet red or green bell peppers (Capsicum annuum). In Morocco, Paprika is used in tomato dishes and salads.

In Summary

The above article in general covers what spices are widely used in Morocco until this day. Traditions are widely popular in Morocco along with secret recipes passed on through generations.

Hopefully, you now got an idea of what spices to buy in morocco that you can then use at home in your own cooking.