Majoon
Obligatory pre-recipe commentary - I was watching an Anthony Bourdain show where he was visiting Tangier, Morocco. He talked about writers like William S Burroughs and other bohemian types who have visited the place, and among the discinctive foods was something called “majoon” which would have kief, which comes from the pollen of cannabis flowers. It took me a little while to find the correct name and spelling, so I asked one of my new AI friends named Claude about it. The AI was quick to warn me about the dangers of psychoactive things, but when I asked for a non-psychoactive recipe, this is what it gave me. The recipe as described in the show included a first step where the butter, some chocolate and kief were sauteed first and added to the mix. Bourdain said that network policies had it that he wasn’t allowed to partake. I call bullshit, but he probably didn’t tape that part.
Here’s a recipe for a traditional, non-psychoactive version of majoun that focuses on the sweet and aromatic elements:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried dates, pitted
- 1/2 cup almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch of cardamom
- Optional: orange flower water
- Optional: crushed pistachios for coating
Instructions:
- Toast almonds until fragrant, let cool, then finely grind
- Process dates until they form a paste
- Melt butter and mix with honey
- Combine all ingredients, including spices, until well mixed
- Form into small balls
- Roll in crushed pistachios if desired
- Let set in refrigerator
The spice blend is meant to create a complex, warming flavor profile typical of North African sweets. Some variations also include sesame seeds, rosewater, or dried fruits. The texture should be like a dense, rich confection similar to a truffle.