Ras el hanout or rass el hanout (Arabic: رأس الحانوتraʾs al-ḥānūt, Arabic pronunciation:[rɑʔsælħɑːnuːt]) is a spice mix found in varying forms in Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco.[1] The name means "head of the shop" in Arabic and implies a mixture of the best spices the seller has to offer.[2] Ras el hanout is used in many savoury dishes, sometimes rubbed on meat or fish, or stirred into couscous, pasta or rice.
Certain supposed aphrodisiacs, including the notoriously dangerous "green metallic beetles", cantharides, have appeared in many Moroccan ras el hanout formulations, but these seem to be irrelevant for flavouring purposes.[1]