Amlou is
a sort of Moroccan spread coming from the Amazigh section of Morocco made from
toasted almonds, Argan oil and honey.
Argan oilcomes from Sounthern Morocco only and nowhere else in the world. It’s one of
our exclusively exported products. You may find it in Gourmet shops or order it
online. If you happen to be in Morocco, buy it from Essaouira and its regions
or from one of the “Marche Central” (Central Market) in Casablanca where you
find a trusted shop where they sell good honey and authentic Oil. I even buy my
Amlou paste from there because they make it right in front of you.
They add
honey to sweeten it and you can buy small bottles of 250g or more.
Make sure
you buy the oil and its derived products which have been produced by women’s Cooperatives
and therefore made by local women from the Southern region. These Cooperatives
allow some kind of fair-trade business to flourish and therefore help the poor
people and families of that region!
 |
| Amlou paste on the right, Argan oil on the left |
In some
places, they might cheat you by selling you mixed Argan oil or if you are
looking for Amlou, you might get a peanut paste instead of almond, so beware of
that.
There are
2 types of Argan, one for culinary use and one for cosmetic use (apparently
very nourishing and anti –wrinkles). Make sure you buy the right one.
The basic
use of Amlou is as spread on your morning toast. However, Gourmet people will
use it for cooking and baking due to its wonderful nutty flavour!
Back to
Amlou. Of you course not everybody has that old style grinding mill used to
make a fine paste of the almond. So a mortar or a meat grinder will do the job
(not a food processor).
Amlou is
not time consuming in the making process. So go ahead!
 |
| Honey on the left, Amlou on the right. |
Ingredients
For almost 2 cups
- 250 g of almonds skin on
- 170 ml of argan oil for cooking
- 2 to 3 tablespoons warm honey
- 1 or 2 generous pinches of salt
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Preparation
Preheat
an oven to 110° C.
On a
baking tray, spread the washed and drained almonds. Sprinkle the salt and roast
them for about 20 minutes. Toss them and make sure they’re not burnt but just
crunchy. Just like the ones you would put on your table as nibbles.
Let the almonds
cool. Then grind them into a fine paste (twice or 3 times).
At this
level, you might introduce a powerful food processor. On a low speed, whiz up
the paste with half of oil then keep adding it to your liking, either to have a
compact paste or more liquid.
Anyway,
this step, after 8 or 10 minutes, a bit of patience, should give you a nice
smooth and silky paste. Add in the honey and stir. If you like it sweet, add
more honey but do not go crazy either. And make sure it’s a good one.
Serve Amlou
on a small plate with your favourite bread. Usually the nutty flavour of this
spread goes well with a wholemeal bread, or Rye.
Amlou
will keep for two months in cool, dark cupboard in a well sealed jar. Stir it
before serving because the ingredients tend to form layers: the laws of physics.
Lately, I have made madeleines with Amlou. On the savoury side, I have made roasted chicken thighs with Amlou served with Iranian style rice.
Post a Comment
I'd love to hear from you!