Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze

Recipes with Moroccan herbs and spices

Pep up your cooking

Visiting a Moroccan market is like delving into the essence of life. The herbs and spices are as colourful and varied as the country itself. A traditional Moroccan souk reflects its multifaceted people, landscapes and centuries-old traditions, an oasis of colours and aromas. Gourmets will be in their element as they explore the many herbs and spices used in Moroccan cuisine. Carefully select freshly ground and packaged herbs and spices, and you are guaranteed top-quality products with unusual and incredible nuances of flavour.

Purlife Maroc

Here you will find a few recipes featuring saffron, sweet paprika, cumin and coriander as well as Middle Eastern Grill and Atlantic Seafood spice mixes.

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Saffron

Morocco’s red gold

Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Tajine Tisch
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Safran
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Tajine Tisch
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Safran

Saffron is derived from the stigma and styles of the crocus flower. The complex production process turns saffron, which has a slightly bitter taste, into the world’s most valuable – and expensive – spice. Its thin red strands are used in Moroccan rice, poultry and fish dishes. It is also said to treat impotence and help with depression.

Pur Life recipe:

Serves 4–5

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
  • 1 sweet onion, cubed
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp saffron (crumbled)
  • 55g butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 55g fresh coriander (chopped)

Cook in a tagine, saucepan or similar cooking vessel.

Put all the herbs and spices (apart from the cinnamon sticks) in a small bowl, mix them thoroughly and put them to one side. Spread the onion cubes on the bottom of the cooking vessel and drizzle with olive oil. Add the butter and coriander and place the cinnamon sticks on top. Place the pieces of chicken on top of the onion mixture. Prick holes in the chicken pieces with a sharp knife to infuse them with the aromas. Spread the mixture of herbs and spices over the chicken, stir and cover.

Simmer the chicken for around an hour or until it is tender. Baste with the juices a few times during the cooking process. The chicken should always have enough liquid to simmer in without overflowing, so add water whenever necessary. Serve with pilau rice or couscous. If you are not using a tagine, adjust the cooking time accordingly and use a fork to check if the chicken is cooked through. It should be very tender and fall off the bone easily.

Cumin

A hint of Africa on your palate

A hint of Africa
on your palate

Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Kreuzkümmel
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Kreuzkümmel
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Kreuzkümmel
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Kreuzkümmel

Cumin has been used since Egyptian times. It has a slightly bitter taste with a trace of sharpness. Its powerful aroma adds a special touch to tagines and egg dishes. In Morocco, it is a kitchen staple. Cumin promotes digestion and has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

Pur Life recipe:

Serves 4–5

Ingredients:

  • 5kg boned leg of lamb (get a butcher to prepare this for you)
  • 1 tbsp coriander
  • 1½ tsp cumin
  • ¾ tsp sweet paprika
  • 1½ tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pinch of salt

For the roasted cumin salt:

  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1½ tsp sea salt
  • Black pepper

Cook on a charcoal or gas grill

Preparation:

Remove any excess fat from the lamb and slice off the thicker areas so that the lamb is 4–5cm thick. This ensures it will cook evenly. Mix the coriander, cumin, paprika, salt and oil to form a paste. Place the lamb into a bowl and rub the paste into the meat. Cover and leave to rest for at least an hour. In the meantime, make the cumin salt by mixing the cumin, sea salt and plenty of black pepper.

If using a charcoal grill, light it 30–40 minutes before cooking. Gas grills should be lit 10–15 minutes before cooking. Place the lamb on the grill with the skin on the bottom. If you want your meat medium-rare, grill for 10–12 minutes on each side. You can also grill it for longer if you prefer. Then move it onto a board, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Slice the lamb to serve. Sprinkle with the meat juices and serve with the cumin salt.

Tip: Lamb is a very fatty meat, so you may have to move it around during cooking to prevent the fat from dripping onto the flame and igniting.

Coriander

For a kick of freshness

Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Koriander
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Koriander
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Koriander
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Koriander

Coriander seeds, popular in parts of Europe where they are often used in bread baking, are fresh tasting, soothe the nerves and promote digestion. Some people find the flavour a little soapy. They go well with meat and roast venison, stews, sauces, salads and pickled vegetables. Ground coriander is also delicious in both sweet and savoury dishes.

Pur Life recipe:

Serves 4–5

Ingredients:

  • 1 ready-to-cook chicken
  • 2 large onions, peeled and cut into half rings
  • 1 glass of pitted brown olives
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 4 tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • 100ml lemon juice
  • 4 tbsp ground coriander
  • 3 tbsp stock
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground cumin

Preparation:

The day before, mix the garlic, salt, herbs and spices (apart from the parsley and turmeric) and oil. Brush the mixture onto the chicken. Place in a casserole dish and leave in the fridge overnight. The next day, add the parsley and turmeric to the chicken.

Pour on water, cover and bring to the boil. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the olives, onion and lemon juice and leave to cook for 10 minutes. Remove the olives and put them to one side. Remove the chicken (keep the stock) and place in a casserole dish.

Cook in a hot oven (240°C) until golden brown and crispy. While the chicken is cooking, reduce the stock on a low heat until only half is left. Add salt to taste. Serve the chicken on a platter. Garnish with the olives, then pour on the stock. Serve warm.

Sweet paprika

Fruity, mellow all-rounder

Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Paprika
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Paprika edelsüß
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Paprika
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Paprika edelsüß

Sweet paprika enhances meat and poultry dishes, stews, marinades and sauces. Whether you’re eating in a hotel or someone’s home, paprika is an integral part of Moroccan cuisine. Its taste is reminiscent of full-bodied fresh tomatoes. The more intensely red it is, the milder and sweeter it will be. It stimulates the appetite, circulation and digestion, and is also said to help with toothache and osteoarthritic pain.

Pur Life recipe:

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 fillets of white fish, each weighing 225g (use a firm, robust fish such as halibut, sea bass or snapper)
  • 1 bunch of fresh coriander, chopped (you can also use fresh parsley or basil if you prefer)
  • 1 red pepper, cored and cut into long, thin strips
  • 5 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 3 large dried red chillies
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 375ml water
  • 80ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 heaped tbsp paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Use a wide, deep sauté pan.

Before starting, set aside a few sprigs of fresh coriander for the garnish. Place the rest of the coriander, the strips of pepper, the garlic and the chillies on the bottom of the pan as a ‘bed’ for the fish. Lay the fish fillets on top of the other ingredients, add generous amounts of salt and pepper, then sprinkle the turmeric evenly over the fillets.

Add 375ml water. Cover and bring to the boil on the hottest setting. As soon as the water starts to boil, reduce to a medium heat so that it simmers gently. Leave uncovered to simmer for another 10–15 minutes, moistening the fillets regularly, until half the water is left and has taken on a yellow colour.

Use a fork to mix olive oil and paprika in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the fish fillets and brush evenly. Cover the fish and leave to simmer for another 20 minutes and moisten frequently. The fish is ready when the liquid is reduced to around a quarter of its original quantity and the fish has turned a vibrant red. Serve the fish and pepper with grains and/or vegetables of your choice and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Atlantic Seafood Spice Mix

Spicy addition to fish and more

Marokko entdecken Marokko Insidertipp Tajine Seite
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Seafood
Marokko entdecken Marokko Insidertipp Tajine Seite
Marokko entdecken Marokko Insidertipp Tajine von oben
Marokko entdecken Marokko Insidertipp Tajine Seite
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Seafood
Marokko entdecken Marokko Insidertipp Tajine Seite
Marokko entdecken Marokko Insidertipp Tajine von oben

‘Atlantic Seafood’: the name says it all. Even when you’re thousands of miles away, herbs and spices like paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic, ginger, turmeric and coriander give you a taste of the Atlantic coast. Enjoy!

Pur Life recipe:

Serves 4–5

Ingredients:

  • 2–3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 onions, peeled and finely sliced
  • 3 ripe tomatoes, pitted and roughly cubed
  • Salt
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 110ml fish stock or water
  • 4–6 plaice fillets, skin removed
  • 1 tbsp Atlantic Seafood spice mix

For the couscous:

  • 200g couscous
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 250ml boiled water
  • 50g pistachios, roughly chopped
  • 4 tbsp pomegranate seeds
  • 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 4 fresh coriander sprigs, leaves only

Warm a terracotta tagine or heavy casserole dish with a lid on a medium to high heat.

Preparation:

Heat the oil in the tagine or casserole dish, then add the garlic and cook for 3–4 minutes until golden brown. Add the onions and reduce the heat, slowly cooking the onions for 10–12 minutes until soft. The onions shouldn’t change colour.

Once the onions have softened, push them to one side of the tagine or casserole dish, increase the heat slightly and add cumin, the Atlantic Seafood spice mix and cayenne pepper to the empty side. Cook for 1–2 minutes until they release their aroma, then mix them in with the onions until the onions are coated. Add the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a simmer and leave for 1–2 minutes, stirring well. Add the fish stock or water and let the mixture simmer again.

Place the plaice fillets in the tagine or casserole dish, then spoon on a bit of the sauce to cover the fish. Cover with the lid, reduce to a low heat and leave to cook for 8 minutes or until the plaice fillets are well done.

While that is cooking, put couscous, olive oil and lemon juice in a bowl. Pour over the boiling water, stir once and cover the bowl tightly with cling film. Set aside for five minutes until the couscous has absorbed all the water, then break up the couscous with a fork.

Mix the chopped pistachios, pomegranate seeds and coriander into the couscous and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Squeeze the lemon juice over the tagine/dish just before serving and sprinkle with coriander leaves. Share out the couscous between 4–6 plates. Add one plaice fillet on each portion, then pour on the rest of the mixture from the tagine.

Middle Eastern Grill Spice

A taste of the souk on your BBQ

Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Oriental Grill
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Oriental Grill
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Oriental Grill
Pur Life Maroc Marokko Gewürze Oriental Grill

Middle Eastern Grill, otherwise known as the king of barbecue spice mixes. Once discovered, you’ll be barbecuing all day long. This mix of onions, cumin, coriander, black pepper, long pepper and garlic will transport your taste buds to a Moroccan souk. Get that holiday feeling at home.

Pur Life recipe:

Serves 4–5

Ingredients:

  • 60g freshly chopped parsley
  • 60g freshly chopped coriander
  • 30g freshly chopped mint
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp lemon peel
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground red pepper
  • 1 tsp Middle Eastern Grill spice mix
  • 450g flank steak, cut into small pieces
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper
  • Lime slices

Preparation:

Soften the wooden skewers in cold water for 20–30 minutes. Grind all the herbs, spices, garlic, sugar, salt, lemon peel and olive oil into a fine powder in a food processor. Pour the mixture into a ziplock bag, add the meat and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the grill on its hottest setting. Assemble the skewers, alternating between pieces of steak and vegetables. Grill for 14 minutes (medium heat) or until the meat caramelises and feels firm, turning once. Squeeze a slice of lime over every skewer and serve.

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