Ras El Hanout - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 whole nutmegs
10 rosebuds (dried)
12 cinnamon sticks (Ceylon)
12 pieces mace (blades)
1 teaspoon anise seed
2 dried chipotle peppers
1/2 teaspoon lavender (dried)
1 tablespoon white peppercorns
1 tablespoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon coriander
2 pieces galangal (dried)
2 tablespoons whole gingerroot (dried)
8 pieces turmeric (dried)
6 cloves
24 allspice berries
20 green cardamom pods
4 black cardamom pods
2 teaspoons saffron threads

Preparation

Heat a small skillet over moderate heat. When hot, add white peppercorns, aniseed, cumin seed, coriander, cloves, and allspice berries. Stir constantly until fragrant and oils are released (only a few minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool in a separate bowl.
Husk the cardamom pods, reserving the fragrant seeds. I love the flavor of cardamom, so I use more than what Paula Wolfert recommends above.
Remove seeds and veins from dried chipotles and break apart.
Break up nutmeg in a mortar and pestle.
Once peppercorns, aniseed, cumin seed, coriander, cloves, and allspice berries have cooled, combine with remaining ingredients in a spice grinder and grind all together until fine. A coffee grinder works well, but then you will not want to grind coffee in it anymore. Even Alton Brown believes in having a separate grinder dedicated to the grinding of spices.
Sift through a strainer to remove fibers from galangale, turmeric, ginger and any pieces that just do not grind.
Store in a glass jar under regrigeration.
A typical slather to make is to combine 1 Tbsp of this blend with 1 Tbsp of Spanish smoked paprika. Crush at least one large clove of garlic into a paste with Kosher salt. Combine with the paprika and Ras, then add olive oil and the juice of one lemon. Slather over chicken, lamb, or fish and roast until done.