Amlou — Souss, Morocco

Amlou is a thick, brown paste made from just three ingredients: almonds, roasted and ground; edible argan oil pressed from roasted argan seeds; and honey. Some cooks add a pinch of salt or cinnamon, but the paste is otherwise kept plain, letting the toasted nuttiness of the almonds and the distinctive flavor of the argan oil carry it. It comes from the Souss, the region of southwestern Morocco between Essaouira, Agadir and Taroudant where the argan tree grows almost nowhere else. Rather than being tied to one town, amlou is made across the whole region, wherever argan oil is pressed and almonds are grown or bought. The almonds are first roasted in the oven until golden, then ground for a long time until they release their own oil and turn into a smooth paste. The argan oil is worked in gradually, followed by the honey and a pinch of salt, and the mixture is blended again until it reaches a spreadable, glossy consistency. Older methods ground the almonds by hand on a stone mill; a food processor now does much the same job. Amlou is eaten at breakfast, scooped up with bread and washed down with tea, and it keeps for weeks at room temperature in a sealed jar. Because the oil in it can separate over time, it is generally stirred before serving. It is one of the few dishes on this list not tied to a particular city, since the whole Souss region claims it.