Spices A to Z: S

 

Smen — Moroccan Clarified Butter

A staple of Moroccan cooking, Smen is a rich clarified butter traditionally used to add depth and savory richness to some of Morocco's most beloved dishes.

With its concentrated buttery flavor, a little goes a long way. Stir it into couscous, melt it into tagines, add it to soups and stews, or use it to bring authentic Moroccan character to your favorite recipes.

How to Use

Use Smen anywhere you want to add rich, buttery depth. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste.

Especially delicious in:

• Couscous
• Tagines
• Harrira and other Moroccan soups
• Stews and slow-cooked dishes
• Rice and grains

Why You'll Love It

• Traditional Moroccan pantry staple
• Rich, concentrated buttery flavor
• Versatile in both Moroccan and everyday cooking
• A little goes a long way

Try It:  Beef Tagine with Honey-Glazed Apples & Raisins

Ingredient: Clarified butter

Net Weight: 6 oz (170g)

The tangy, ruby-red spice that brightens every dish it touches.

Sumac is one of the most distinctive spices of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. Made from dried and ground sumac berries, it has a naturally tart, fruity flavor often described as lemony, but with its own earthy depth and character.

Traditionally sprinkled over foods just before serving, Sumac adds both vibrant color and a bright burst of flavor. It is essential in fattoush, wonderful over hummus, and an easy way to wake up grilled chicken, lamb, fish, rice, roasted vegetables, salads, dips, and grain dishes.

Ways to use Sumac:

• Sprinkle generously over fattoush, hummus, or salads
• Season grilled chicken, lamb, fish, and kebabs
• Finish rice, roasted vegetables, lentils, and grain dishes
• Stir into yogurt dips, marinades, and salad dressings
• Sprinkle over eggs, avocado, or flatbread for a bright, tangy finish

Try It:  Sumac Chicken with Garlic & Herbs

A little Sumac brings remarkable color and flavor to even the simplest dish—and once you start keeping it on the table, you'll find yourself reaching for it constantly.

Ingredients: Sumac.

Lebanese Seven Spice

The heart of Lebanese cooking — warm, aromatic and incredibly versatile.

Zamouri Spices Lebanese Seven Spice is a traditional Lebanese-inspired blend with layers of warm spice, gentle pepper and fragrant complexity. Our blend combines allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, clove, coriander and ginger for the rich, savory flavor found throughout Lebanese and Levantine cooking.

How to Use Lebanese Seven Spice

Use it to season kafta, kibbeh, lamb, beef, chicken, rice, lentils and roasted vegetables. It is especially good mixed directly into ground meat before grilling or roasting, where the spices become wonderfully aromatic without overpowering the dish.

Great for: kafta, kibbeh, beef, lamb, chicken, rice, lentils, roasted vegetables and other Middle Eastern-inspired dishes.

Try it: Lebanese Seven-Spice Kafta

Ingredients

Allspice, Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Clove, Coriander, Ginger.

Chicken shawarma doesn’t require a restaurant rotisserie.

Zamouri Shawarma Spice for Chicken gives chicken the warm, aromatic Middle Eastern flavor associated with shawarma and works beautifully for chicken cooked on the grill, in a skillet, or in the oven.

No vertical spit? No problem.
For an easy home version, cut boneless chicken into strips, marinate it with Shawarma Chicken Spice, then grill or cook until browned and cooked through. Tuck it into warm pita with tomato, pickles and your favorite sauce, or serve it over rice, salads or vegetables.

Try it: Grilled Shawarma Pita Sandwiches recipe uses Shawarma Chicken or Shawarma Meat and shows how to make shawarma-style meat at home without a spit. 

Great for: chicken thighs or breasts, pita sandwiches, rice bowls, salads, grilled chicken and easy weeknight meals.

Bring the warm, savory flavor of Middle Eastern shawarma home — no giant rotating spit required.

Zamouri Shawarma Spice for Meat is designed for beef, lamb and veal and can be used whether you grill, roast or cook your meat in a skillet. 

Make shawarma at home:
Slice the meat into strips, season and marinate it, then cook it hot and fast until browned and tender. Serve it tucked into pita or alongside rice, salad and vegetables.

Try it: Our existing Grilled Shawarma Pita Sandwiches recipe uses strips of lamb and chicken with either Zamouri Shawarma blend, marinates them for at least two hours, then grills them for an easy home version of shawarma. 

Great for: beef, lamb or veal, pita sandwiches, rice plates, grilling and Middle Eastern-inspired meals.

More powerful and licorice-like than Anise, this fruit comes from an Oriental tree. It is typically used in sweet dishes, chai, and other sweetmeat dishes.

Also called Shish Kebob

Use with your favorite Shish Kabob recipe or use ours below:

Cube two pounds of your favorite meat. In a medium bowl, combine meat with ½ Cup Olive Oil, 6 cloves of garlic (CRUSHED), 1 to 2 tsp of Shish Kabob Spice Blend, (salt & pepper to taste). Refrigerate for 3 – 4 hours. One hour PRIOR to cooking, remove from refrigerator. Cut 2 green peppers into one inch cubes. Peel and quarter 6 small onions. On a skewer, alternately thread the meat, green peppers, and onions. Cook on hot grill or in broiler. Baste occasionally with leftover mixture. Serve on pita bread with tahini sauce.

Set of twelve.

This is a gorgeous addition to your culinary collection. The wooden handles are each hand painted with Moroccan designs. Perfect for your favorite kebab recipe.

Total length from end to end is approximately 16 inches long (11 inches not including the handle gives you plenty of room for meats and veggies).

Product of Morocco.

Handmade in Morocco, the Slaoui Medium is a traditional glazed cooking tagine accented with simple dark lines around the lid and base. Its classic terracotta finish and understated decoration make it beautiful enough to go directly from cooking to the table.

The distinctive conical lid circulates steam and returns moisture to the food as it cooks, helping create tender meats and vegetables with richly flavored sauces.

Size & Cooking Details

• Approximately 10 inches
• Serves approximately 2–3
• Handmade in Morocco
• Kiln-fired at approximately 1700°F
• Lead-free / food-safe
• Use on the stovetop with a heat diffuser
• Oven safe
• Suitable for cooking over a charcoal brazier
• Hand washing recommended

Because each tagine is handmade, dimensions, glaze and decorative details may vary slightly from piece to piece.

Your tagine includes care and cooking instructions to help you season, use and maintain it properly.

Product of Morocco

Cook With Your Tagine

Moroccan Chicken Tagine with La Kama
Put your tagine to work with this Moroccan chicken dish featuring our aromatic La Kama seasoning blend.

View the Recipe →

Handmade in Morocco, the Slaoui Small is a traditional glazed cooking tagine accented with simple dark lines around the lid and base. Its classic terracotta finish and understated decoration make it beautiful enough to go directly from cooking to the table.

The distinctive conical lid circulates steam and returns moisture to the food as it cooks, helping create tender meats and vegetables with richly flavored sauces.

Size & Cooking Details

• Approximately 9 inches
• Serves approximately 1–2
• Handmade in Morocco
• Kiln-fired at approximately 1700°F
• Lead-free / food-safe
• Use on the stovetop with a heat diffuser
• Oven safe
• Suitable for cooking over a charcoal brazier
• Hand washing recommended

Because each tagine is handmade, dimensions, glaze and decorative details may vary slightly from piece to piece.

Your tagine includes care and cooking instructions to help you season, use and maintain it properly.

Product of Morocco

Cook With Your Tagine

Moroccan Chicken Tagine with La Kama
Put your tagine to work with this Moroccan chicken dish featuring our aromatic La Kama seasoning blend.

View the Recipe →