What is Molokhia Spice Mix?
Molokhia is a dish of pharaonic origin made from the finely chopped leaves of jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius) cooked in chicken, meat or rabbit broth. In Egypt its success depends on the tasha: crushed garlic and dried coriander fried in ghee and poured over the pot with the famous gasp. In the Levant the leaves are cooked whole or chopped with chicken, coriander and lemon, famously in Aleppo; in Iraq molokhia is cooked with meat, soured with lemon and served with timman rice. Molokhia Spice Mix is a dry blend that combines coriander, garlic, pepper and broth spices in a balanced ratio, sparing the cook the work of building the tasha from scratch and fixing the flavour every time.
Composition and the role of each ingredient
A typical blend is dominated by ground dried coriander, with dried garlic, black pepper and a smaller share of cumin, a touch of cardamom and bay leaf to enrich the broth, an optional pinch of chilli and, in the Iraqi version, a little turmeric and black lime. Coriander is the essential perfume of the tasha; garlic gives the sharp backbone that defines Egyptian molokhia; black pepper balances the slight bitterness of the leaves; cumin adds depth; cardamom and bay scent the broth. The blend is used in two places: part in the broth and part in the tasha. Proportions are approximate and our actual formula is confidential.
| Variant | Character | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Egyptian blend | Coriander and garlic dominant, black pepper, broth aroma | Chopped molokhia with chicken or rabbit over rice |
| Levantine style | Moderate coriander, garlic, lemon and light allspice | Aleppo whole-leaf molokhia with chicken |
| Iraqi style | Turmeric and black lime with coriander and garlic | Molokhia with meat and red timman rice |
What makes a good blend
The test is simple: rub a little between your fingers and you should smell fresh, sweet coriander followed by garlic, with no dusty or musty note. The coriander must be freshly ground from whole seed, as its volatile oil evaporates within weeks of grinding. A good blend has no added salt, starch, flour or colourants, a uniform grind and a natural light-brown colour. Seasoning mixes follow the general spice requirements: moisture no higher than about 10%, total ash around 8–10%, acid-insoluble ash up to 1.5–2%, freedom from foreign matter and insects under the ASTA and ESA specifications, and aflatoxin and residue limits under Codex and the Egyptian Standards for spices and seasoning mixes. These values are typical ranges.
How to use it
- Prepare one litre of chicken or meat broth with an onion and one teaspoon of Molokhia Spice Mix.
- Add 400 g of chopped molokhia (fresh or frozen) to the boiling broth, stir, and let it come to a single boil uncovered so it does not separate.
- For the tasha: heat two tablespoons of ghee, add four crushed garlic cloves and one teaspoon to one tablespoon of Molokhia Spice Mix (about 5 g per kilogram of molokhia) and fry until the garlic is golden.
- Pour the tasha straight onto the molokhia and cover the pot for half a minute to trap the aroma.
- Serve hot with white rice or bread, chicken, lemon and onion in vinegar.
Other uses: the tasha for sprouted fava beans and green soups, a rub for grilled rabbit, and seasoning for lentil soup and spinach in broth.
Storage and shelf life
Keep the blend tightly sealed away from heat, humidity and light, and close it immediately after use, because dried garlic absorbs moisture and cakes while coriander loses its scent. Typical shelf life is 12 months sealed and 3 months after opening for full aroma. Cooked molokhia keeps two days in the fridge and should not be reheated repeatedly.
The Sheikh Al-Attareen range
- Molokhia Spice Mix
We rely on whole Egyptian coriander from farms in Upper Egypt and Fayoum, tested in our Mansoura laboratory for moisture, volatile oil and cleanliness, and selected dried garlic. The blend is ground and packed fresh in small batches and is available at our branches in Egypt, Iraq and Syria and online.
FAQ
Does the blend replace fresh garlic in the tasha?
It contains enough dried garlic for a good flavour, but adding fresh crushed garlic to the tasha gives the classic Egyptian taste.
How much blend per kilogram of molokhia?
About 5 g in the tasha and half a teaspoon in the broth, slightly more for frozen molokhia.
Does it work for Levantine and Iraqi molokhia?
Yes. Add lemon and allspice for a Levantine character, turmeric and black lime for an Iraqi one.
Why does my molokhia sink to the bottom?
Long boiling or a covered pot. Let it reach a single boil only and pour the hot tasha over it to keep a smooth, even texture.