Herbs and Spices of the Kasbah – Exotic Flavors of Moroccan Cooking

Za'tar, a mix of sumac and spices, gives olives, yogurt, and bread an exotic burst of flavour.

Many cultures converge in Morocco, giving its food the taste of history in every bite. In fact, Moroccan cuisine may very well be the “melting pot” of the ancient culinary world. The subtle juxtaposition of meats with fruit; the variety and combinations of freshly ground seasonings in a single dish; the delicate sauces and tenderness of tagine dishes . . . all are a distillation of culinary skills developed over centuries of cooking for kings, armies, nomads, and a sophisticated merchant elite.

As part of the Mediterranean basin, Morocco’s culinary legacy is one of healthy whole foods — fresh vegetables, fruit, grains, and olive oils dominate, leaving meats and dairy to play minor roles. The Persian influence is found in the sour tastes, balanced with fruit and sugar. Recipes with piquant sumac, dried limes, preserved lemons, barberries, or pomegranate seeds are surely a throwback to 500 BC when the Persian Empire enveloped the whole region.

Kasbah (meaning native quarter) cooking is infused with magical spice route ingredients whose properties are the stuff of myths and legends: olives, pepper, lemons, cinnamon, saffron, ruby-seeded pomegranates, figs, dates, and more.

Tastes of the Kasbah rely on a subtle play of spicy flavour that comes from the combination of several herbs and spices —  up to as many as 100 in the celebrated Ras el Hanout — that are still available in much the same form as they were to cooks centuries before the Middle Ages.

Herbs and Spices of the Kasbah

Awake, O north wind,
And come thou south,
Blow upon my garden,
That the spices thereof
May flow out . . .
– Song of Solomon, 4:14:16

Even before the Queen of Sheba brought spices to King Solomon, the ancient Arabs held a tight monopoly on the spice trade. Early Bedouin nomads travelled the Silk Route to China for exotic treasures, and cinnamon and cloves from the Spice Islands arrived by boat. The following is an abbreviated list of key spices and herbs used to flavour North African and Middle Eastern foods.

• CARDAMOM – Elettaria cardamomum. The word comes from the Greek, kardamomum, meaning very spicy. The plant is a rhizomatous perennial, strikingly beautiful with large lanceolate leaves and lily-like white flowers with dark pink stripes.

Taste: pungent with overtones of camphor and eucalyptus, with lime or astringent qualities; overall, warm and refreshing. Culinary: seed pods are black, brown or green; seeds most commonly used, but whole pods may be ground and used in some spice blends.

• CINNAMON – Cinnamomum zeylanicum or Cinnamomum cassia. The spice we call cinnamon is the bark from tropical evergreen trees related to the bay laurel, avocado and sassafras, of which, there are more than a dozen different varieties that yield the edible bark.

Taste: sweet, fragrant, warm and like a dry sandalwood. Culinary: Today, we see two varieties of cinnamon: C. zeylanicum and C. cassia. The former is true cinnamon; lighter, sweeter tasting, soft and thinner bark, and lightly perfumed with no trace of bitterness or pungency. This variety is more expensive and not commonly found, but when available, it is usually whole. The less expensive C. Cassia is generally used in powdered cinnamon. It is harder, darker and stronger tasting with a slight bitterness.

• CLOVES – Syzyium aromaticum. Until the Portuguese found a route to the Spice Islands (Moluccas) in the early 1700s, these unopened flower buds of a tall, fragrant evergreen tree were native and exclusively grown only on the islands. This lent a rare and exotic quality to this spice.

Taste: slightly astringent, sweetly pungent and lightly fruity, but assertive and warm with notes of pepper and camphor. Culinary: ground cloves are used in both savory and sweet dishes of North Africa.

• CORIANDER – Coriandrum sativum. Both the fresh leaves and dried seeds are used in cooking. The name comes from the Greek word koris, for bed bug, due to the similarity between the smell of cilantro leaves and the offending bug.

Taste: dried seeds have a pleasing, mild, sweet, slightly orange taste; fresh leaves are pungent, soapy, strongly flavoured. Culinary: coriander seeds are frequently combined with cumin seeds, the two spices being dry fried together before being ground; whole coriander seeds are used in tagines and pickled dishes.

• CUMIN – Cuminum cyminum. The plant is a small, herbaceous umbellifer that bears boat-shaped seeds with nine ridges, similar to caraway, but smaller and lighter in its brown-yellow colour.

Taste: strong, spicy-sweet aroma; taste is sharp and pungent with a hint of caraway; less common, black Iranian cumin seeds are slightly sweeter, more delicate in flavour. Culinary: ground cumin is widely used in Moroccan lamb tagines and to flavour some cheeses, and in many spice blends.

• FENUGREEK – Trigonella foenum-graecum. A small, erect, slender annual fodder plant similar in appearance to clover. The plant produces pods that hold between ten and twenty triangular, light yellow seeds.

Taste: highly aromatic, smelling of curry; seeds have a tangy, faint celery flavour, like burnt sugar when toasted; fresh leaves are sometimes used, when available, but seeds are more common. Culinary: key ingredient in curry powers, the seeds are difficult to grind; seeds can be sprouted and used in unleavened bread and salads, or soaked overnight to produce a bitter-tasting, thick, jellylike substance for drinks, sauces and preserves

• POMEGRANATE – Punica granatum. Native to Iran and grown in Mediterranean countries, the fruit of this small bush is a bright red orb. Plump, translucent red seeds are encased in individual compartments, each surrounded by a creamy coloured bitter membrane and pith.

Taste: astringent, sweet-sour. Culinary: seeds are eaten fresh in salads or as a garnish for dips or, more commonly, dried then pounded to a powder.

• ROSE – Rosa. Wild species roses (the plants from which all modern roses descend) are thought to have originated in China. Early spice route traders may have brought them to the Middle East before the time of Christ.

Taste: aromatic, sweet and intensely fragrant. Culinary: rose petals and rose water have played a major role in Arabian food for centuries.

• SAFFRON – Crocus sativus. True saffron comes only from Crocus sativus, an autumn flowering, ornamental perennial that grows to about six inches. Its original worth grew out of its colour for the Persian carpet industry. Sometime around the middle ages, its colour and aroma became a status symbol for culinary dishes. Still harvested by hand, saffron is the most expensive herb available.

Taste: pungent, bitter, woodsy, flowery. Culinary: As a general rule, use 4 to 6 whole saffron stigma filaments per serving. Infuse in warm liquid or gently grind to a powder to activate and release the aromatic properties.

• SUMAC – Rhus coriaria. A tall growing bush with leaves that turn bright red in the fall. Berries are picked before they ripen, dried and crushed to a powder. Caution: Do not gather from the wild. Buy from a specialist shop selling Middle Eastern ingredients as some members of the sumac family have poisonous berries.

Taste: astringent, sour-fruit flavour with a hint of citrus. Culinary: If used whole, berries are cracked then soaked in warm water and squeezed to release the astringent juice which is added to sauces, marinades and salad dressings at the end of cooking. Ground sumac is combined with other spices (see Za’atar below), rubbed into meat or fish.

• TURMERIC – Curcuma longa. A fleshy rhizome similar to ginger, with a lighter brown skin and brilliant orange flesh. Turmeric has widely known medicinal properties.

Taste: earthy, sharp, bitter-spice with citrus notes. Culinary: use fresh or ground in Moroccan tagines, with chicken, seafood, lentils and vegetables or rice dishes.

Turmeric root

Adveih means spice blend. All advieh are personally combined either by the woman of the household or by the spice seller from whom she procures her spices. Spice mixtures therefore vary from family to family and country to country within the region — some being used in family recipes handed down since before the time of Christ.

ROSE ADVEIH

A fragrant seasoning blend for rice and egg dishes.

• 3 Tbsp dried rose petals or 15 whole buds, stems and calyxes removed
• 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

In a spice grinder or with mortar and pestle, grind ingredients to a fine powder. Makes 1 Tbsp.

ZA'ATAR

A term used for a blend of spices that have an overall aroma of thyme or oregano. Use as a rub for grilled fish or chicken or sprinkle over oiled flat bread and toast for a tasty snack.

• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tsp ground sumac
• 2 tsp dried oregano or thyme
• 1 tsp sea salt

In a small jar, mix all the ingredients. Store for up to 3 months in a cool, dark place.  Makes 1/4 cup.

Sources and Resources

• www.mustaphas.com  Mustapha’s Fine Foods of Morocco: a good source for North African ingredients and spices

Books:
• Clevely, Andi; Richmond, Katherine; Morris, Sallie, and Mackley, Lesely. The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Spices. New York: Hermes House, 1997
• Crocker, Pat. The Healing Herbs Cookbook. Toronto: Robert Rose, 1999.
• Day, Avanelle, and Stuckey, Lillie. The Spice Cookbook. New York: David White Company, 1964.
• Henry, Diana. Crazy Water. London: Octopus Publishing, 2002.
• Morse, Kitty. North Africa: The Vegetarian Table. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1996.
• Norman, Jill. Herbs & Spices. New York: DK Publishing, 2002.
• Roden, Claudia. A Book of Middle Eastern Food. Toronto: Thomas Nelson Ltd., 1968.
• Woodward, Sarah. Tastes of North Africa. New York: Hippocrene Books Inc., 1999.

GRILLED FISH KEBABS

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Ingredients:

• marinade:
• 3/4-cup olive oil
• 3 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1/4-cup lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp Za’atar (see above)
• kebabs:
• 2 lb thick fish fillets, boned
• olive oil (for skewers)
• 2 onions, quartered
• 4 long metal skewers

MOROCCAN CAULIFLOWER

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Use Za’atar or substitute dried oregano or thyme in this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb cauliflower (about 1 medium), washed, leaves and base of stem removed
• 4 cups water
• 1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
• 8 to 10 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Za’atar
• about 1/2 tsp toasted and ground cumin
• about 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp olive oil, optional
• 1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 to 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

KASBAH SPICED ROOT VEGETABLES

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Use a traditional cooking vessel called a tagine or Dutch oven for this incredibly easy dish. Once the ingredients are in the pot, it can be left virtually on its own to gently bubble. It’s a great recipe for a large dinner where timing is difficult, because another half an hour of cooking in the tagine will not harm either the taste or the presentation.

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 tsp cumin seeds, crushed
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1/2 cups orange juice
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped dates
• 3 each: carrots and parsnips, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks
• 3 slices rutabaga or 3 fresh turnips, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks
• salt to taste
• flame-proof tagine or Dutch oven