Tabil

Ingredients

Spices

• 100 gcoriander seeds
• 40 gcaraway seeds

Fresh

• 1whole head of garlic, cloves peeled
• 40 gdried red chillies, or fresh ones to be dried

Optional

• 1 teaspoonsalt
• a small piece of dried rose petal, in some households

Equipment

• a tray for drying
• a spice grinder or a heavy mortar

Directions

1. Peel all the garlic cloves and slice them thinly. Spread the slices out on a tray in a single layer. They must become completely brittle and snap cleanly.
2. Set it at 60C and leave the door ajar. Dry the garlic for about three hours at that temperature. Check it every half hour and turn the slices over. Drying the chillies is done the same way.
3. Use chillies already dried if that is what you have. Fresh ones need slitting open and drying alongside the garlic.
4. Shake out most of the seeds for a milder blend. Leave them in if you want tabil properly hot. Warm the coriander and caraway in a dry pan. Shake the pan constantly over a medium heat. Stop after two minutes when they smell fragrant.
5. Let everything cool completely before grinding. Put the dried garlic and chillies in the grinder first. Grind them until they are broken down to a coarse powder. Add the coriander and caraway seeds. Grind everything together to a fine even powder. Sieve the powder and regrind anything left behind.
6. Add the salt now if you want a seasoned blend. Storing it properly keeps it usable for months. Put it in a sealed jar away from light and heat. It stays good for about six months before fading.
7. Grind a small batch often rather than a large one rarely. Fry a spoonful in oil with onion before adding anything else.

Technique

• Tabil is one of several regional spice blends built on coriander and caraway across the Maghreb.
• Ratios vary from household to household, and some families use more caraway than coriander while others reverse it.

Substitutions

• Dried garlic granules can replace home-dried garlic if you cannot dry your own, though the flavour is flatter.
• Ready-ground coriander and caraway work but lose aroma quickly and give a weaker blend.

Variations

• Some households add dried mint or dried rosebud to the grinder.
• A milder blend leaves the chilli out and lets harissa carry the heat.
• In some regions a little turmeric is added for colour.

History

The name simply means seasoning in Tunisian Arabic; the coriander-and-caraway blend is associated with Andalusi refugees who settled in northern Tunisia after 1492.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tabil?

Tabil is a sauce & condiment from Tunisia: ground coriander, caraway, garlic and chili, the base Tunisian seasoning. The name simply means seasoning in Tunisian Arabic; the coriander-and-caraway blend is associated with Andalusi refugees who settled in northern Tunisia after 1492.

How long does Tabil take to make?

Tabil takes 20 minutes plus drying of preparation and none of cooking. The recipe makes about 200 g. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Tabil?

Yes, within limits. Dried garlic granules can replace home-dried garlic if you cannot dry your own, though the flavour is flatter. Ready-ground coriander and caraway work but lose aroma quickly and give a weaker blend.

What is the most important thing to get right in Tabil?

Peel all the garlic cloves and slice them thinly. Spread the slices out on a tray in a single layer. They must become completely brittle and snap cleanly.