In a kingdom of spices, these reign supreme.

1. Saffron: They don’t call it ‘the king of spices’ for nothing!  Getting your hands on good saffron can be difficult and expensive, and for good reason it’s in high demand.  The Moroccans have mastered their use of the spice not only in cooking, but in extracting its color for dying textiles.
2. Cinnamon: It’s even one of the ingredients in Coca-Cola, which you’ll find plenty of in Morocco.  There’s hardly a dish that’s made without this spice, be it sweet or savory.  It compliments nearly every type of meat or fruit, and in Moroccan cooking, those two things go together quite a bit.
3. Paprika: In the picturesque spice cones that line the spice-seller shops in the medinas, paprika is the red one.  Coming in both sweet and fiery varieties, paprika is a versatile spice used in many Moroccan dishes.
4. Cumin: Some believe cumin made its way into a lot of Moroccan meals because it naturally aids digestion.  Others say it’s the taste, and taste alone.  We don’t care.  We’ll happily take it either way.
5. Cayenne: Love it or hate it, cayenne has won its place in Moroccan cooking.  Small dashes of it season all kinds of tagine and couscous dishes, and it’s the main ingredient in the spicy, tomato-based condiment of harissa.