The short answer
The classic haul is ras el hanout, the house blend of many spices, plus whole cumin, sweet or smoked paprika, ground ginger, turmeric, cinnamon sticks, dried rose petals and saffron threads. Buy at Rahba Kedima, the old spice square in the souks, or the covered Mellah market near Place des Ferblantiers. Buy small.
In more detail
Rahba Kedima, a short walk north of Jemaa el-Fnaa, is the old spice square: cones of cumin and paprika, ras el hanout, saffron, argan oil, and herbalists mixing remedies to order. The covered market of the Mellah, off Place des Ferblantiers, is where neighbourhood cooks still buy cumin, ginger, saffron and preserved lemons by weight, weighed out on brass scales.
Ras el hanout means roughly the head of the shop, and every seller has their own version, so smell a few before you choose. Cumin and salt are the only seasoning on mechoui lamb, and cumin, ginger, saffron and turmeric sit behind most tagines. Preserved lemons are easy to make at home with lemons and salt, so you do not need to carry them.
Saffron is where care pays. It is expensive everywhere, so buy a small amount from a stall a cook or guide trusts, rather than a bargain heap. The same goes for argan oil.
A herbalist's tasting is a friendly sales pitch, and a polite la, shukran, no thank you, ends it. Smell freely, buy small, and pack spices in sealed bags for the flight home.
Good to know
- Smell several ras el hanout blends before buying.
- Buy saffron in small amounts from a trusted stall.
- Seal spices well for your luggage.