IRAN
The word advieh comes from the Arabic word for medicines (adwiyeh) and in Iran, it describes a spice mixture that is a little like the Indian garam masala. In fact, garam masala is derived from the Persian words garm, meaning “hot,” and masaleh, meaning “ingredients.” There are different regional adviehs, such as one from the Persian Gulf used in hearty dishes, another from the Central Provinces used in delicate dishes, and a fragrant one like the one below that is used to add a luxurious touch to rice dishes, including Jeweled Rice.
MAKES ABOUT ½ CUP (50 G)
⅓ cup (50 g) pistachios, coarsely ground
2 tablespoons raw cane sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground dried rose petals
Good pinch of saffron threads, ground
Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl and transfer to a glass jar. Store air-tight in a dark place for up to one year, possibly longer. I usually keep mine in the freezer.
RAS EL-HANOUT
MOROCCO
Meaning “the head of the shop,” ras el-hanout is probably the most complex of all spice mixtures in this book. In her excellent book, Les Secrets de Cuisine en Terre Marocaine, the late Zette Guinaudeau-Franc lists no fewer than twenty-seven spices that go in the making of ras el-hanout. Unfortunately, Guinaudeau-Franc does not give a recipe and I doubt one can re-create the complex mixture that you can buy at good spice merchants in the medina in Fez or Marrakesh, so my advice is to source a good mix and to use it sparingly. In Morocco, ras el-hanout is used in game tagines, and in some sweet-savory dishes like M’ruziyah. It is also used to season Moroccan Kefta and the tagine that goes into Moroccan Pigeon Pie.