Ras el Hanout Ramen
Ras el hanout means head of the shop in Arabic, implying the best of what the spice merchant has to offer, and the blend lives up to the name in a way that almost no other spice mixture manages. It contains somewhere between fifteen and thirty spices depending on who makes it, including cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, rose petals, and things that vary by household and region, and the combined effect is a warmth and complexity that is unlike any single ingredient in it. Lamb braised in this spice mixture with saffron, preserved lemon, and chickpeas is essentially a tagine, which is one of the great braises of the world and worthy of the ramen noodles about to be placed underneath it.
Twenty spices meet—lamb dissolves into the dream—the riad goes quiet
Let Me Tell You...
The best tagines I've tasted were made by people who started them in the morning and didn't check on them until the afternoon, which is the kind of cooking confidence that comes from doing the same thing many times and understanding that the pot knows what it's doing.
Ras el hanout is the spice that makes this possible, because it's so complex and layered that it continues to evolve in the braise over hours, different notes becoming more prominent as the liquid reduces and the lamb fat renders and the spices bloom at different temperatures.
By hour two, the broth is something different from what it was at the start.
A spice blend this complex deserves quality ingredients.
Stale ras el hanout from an old jar will produce a flat braise.
Preserved lemon is the ingredient that most clearly places this bowl in North Africa rather than anywhere else.
It's lemon that has been cured in salt for weeks until the flesh becomes mild and the rind becomes something entirely new, aromatic and fermented and slightly floral.
Only the rind goes into the braise.
You slice off the flesh and discard it, cut the rind into thin strips, and add them to the pot where they will dissolve slightly and contribute their particular preserved flavor to the broth.
If you don't have preserved lemons, a tablespoon of lemon zest plus a tablespoon of lemon juice is a pale substitute that should be used only in emergencies.
The flesh is very salty and will make the braise too salty.
Rinse the rind under cold water before adding.
The dates and almonds scattered on top at serving are the Moroccan garnish that contrasts the savory braise with sweetness and crunch, and they are the difference between a bowl that tastes like it was assembled and one that tastes like it was composed.
Sweet medjool dates against savory braised lamb against the numbing-slightly-sweet hit of ras el hanout is a combination that justifies the two-hour cooking time entirely.
They're textural finishes, not braising ingredients.
This is the bowl for a dinner where you want people to ask how long it took.
Say two hours and watch the reaction.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried ramen noodles (2 bricks, seasoning packets discarded)
- 1.5 lbs bone-in lamb shoulder, cut into large chunks
- 2 tablespoons ras el hanout spice blend
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, steeped in 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 preserved lemon, flesh removed, rind rinsed and thinly sliced
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cups low-sodium lamb or chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 3 medjool dates, pitted and halved (for serving)
- 3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds (for serving)
- Fresh mint leaves (for serving)
Preparation
- Season lamb pieces with salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon ras el hanout. Toss to coat.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or tagine over medium-high heat. Sear lamb on all sides until deeply browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Work in batches. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to the pot and cook 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon ras el hanout. Cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes.
- Return lamb to the pot. Add broth, water, saffron with its water, and preserved lemon rind. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 1 hour 30 minutes. Add chickpeas and cook 30 more minutes until lamb is completely tender and falling from the bone. Taste and adjust salt.
- Remove lamb and pull meat from bones in large pieces. Return to the broth. Discard bones.
- Bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Cook ramen noodles for 2-3 minutes until just tender. Drain and divide between serving bowls.
- Ladle braising broth, chickpeas, and lamb over noodles. Scatter dates, toasted almonds, and fresh mint over the top. Add optional toppings and serve immediately.