Moroccan Mahjoun

When I first listened to White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane, I had probably rightly believed that Grace Slick was referring to Alice In Wonderland with the lyric “Go ask Alice, I think she’ll knooowww!”. But in hindsight, she may also be referring to Alice B. Toklas and her Alice B. Toklas Cookbook which was published in 1954 and contained a recipe for “hashish fudge”. The notion also formed a part of legendary artist Bryon Gysin’s method in metaphysique and creativity, who lived in Morocco where mahjoun is quite the treat.

A friend enticed me into the taste sensation of mahjoun with recounts of the Le Club des Hachichins (“Club of the Hashish-Eaters”), which was frequented by Pierrie Théophile Gautier, Charles Baudelaire, Gérard de Nerval, Eugène Delacroix and Alexandre Dumas in the mid-19th century. The French  psychiatrist Jacques-Joseph Moreau was also a member, who was the first person in modern history to publish a work on the effects of cannabis in relation to the human nervous system. Guatier wrote of Moreau handing him a “morsel of paste of greenish jam about as large as a thumb from a crystal vase”, as he cautions that “this will be deducted from your share in Paradise”.

Dr Jacques-Joseph Moreau

Moreau wrote of the psychosomatic effects of the substance in ameliorating mental illness; myself I found it beneficial in dealing with a difficult gastroenterological condition which also turned out to have a psychosomatic origin. This is how mahjoun came to be of great interest to me.

There are two recipes I would like to share.

The following can be found on Chowhound and provides a sweet paste than works extremely well when spread on walnut crackers:

Ingredients

  • 1/4 ounce marijuana tops (negotiable)
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon ground anise
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Process

  1. Remove stems and seeds from marijuana tops, then dry and crumble the leaves. In a dry skillet, toast the leaves over very low heat until the aromas are released.
  2. Mix the leaves with raisins, walnuts, nutmeg, anise, ginger, honey, and water, adding more water if the mixture is too dry and crumbly.
  3. Simmer together until the mixture is soft and thick. Mash by hand or transfer to a food processor and blend, using several short pulses.
  4. Stir in butter, spoon into a jar, and refrigerate for storage. Spread on crackers or plain cookies, or use as a filling for stuffed cookies.

The other can be found on Munchies, which has extensive marijuana recipes given the recent legalisations and decriminalisations across North America.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1-3 grams hash (Potency: 1 gram for 20-milligram strength balls, 2 grams for 40-milligram strength balls, 3 grams for 60-milligram strength balls, based on an average of 50-percent THC per gram of hash.)
  • 3 oz. cashews (raw or lightly toasted, salted or unsalted)
  • 3 oz. pistachios, shelled (raw or lightly toasted, salted or unsalted)
  • 4 oz. almonds (raw or lightly toasted, salted or unsalted)
  • 3 oz. Black Mission figs
  • 4 oz. Medjool dates
  • 1/2 cup raw honey
  • 2 oz. rose water
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt

for the spice mixture (use 1 oz. per batch):

  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon powdered cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon powdered ginger
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, finely ground
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers (optional)

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place butter and powdered hash in a shallow Pyrex dish and heat on center rack for approximately 30 minutes to fully activate THC.
  2. While hash is heating, in a food processor, addthe nuts and gently grind into small pieces. Reserve 1⁄4 cup for coating jam balls and set aside.
  3. Using kitchen shears or a paring knife, remove any stems from figs. Check dates carefully, removing any pits or hulls. Finely dice and set aside.
  4. Measure honey, rose water, and spices. Combine spices and set aside.
  5. Remove butter and hash mixture from oven and place in a medium saucepan on the stove over low heat. Add flour and whisk to blend well. Continue cooking on a low simmer until foaming (4 to 5 minutes), stirring constantly just until roux is lightly browned, being cautious not to burn butter. Remove from heat and add salt. Stir to blend. Set aside.
  6. In a large bowl, combine nuts and dried fruit, roux, honey, rose water, and 1 oz. of spice mixture. With clean hands, knead ingredients until well-incorporated, smooth, and thick, with a slight sheen. If necessary, refrigerate for 25 or 30 minutes before proceeding to the next step.
  7. Using a small ice cream scoop or measuring spoon, spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time and gently roll into balls. Coat/roll balls in reserved finely ground nuts.

The second recipe, I often use dukkah mix for the coating which you can buy separately in an abundance of flavours.

My own creations coated with honey-roasted dukkah mix

The morning after I’d made my first ever batch, I told myself that it would be fine to have a teaspoon or two of the first recipe on some walnut crackers. After that I watched the last of season 3 of House of Cards, it was pretty clear that it was taking good effect. Reminding myself that I had a gym session with my personal trainer, I got changed and walked into town. And along the way I made sure I got a strong cup of coffee…..

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