Topic: Tunisian Spices

[Tommy Timebomb]

I have asked this elsewhere with not much success.......

My cousin has brought me back from Tunisia a box containing 10 various spices after I tormented him about how nice some spices that a friend got me from Goa were.
Although much more professionally packed the spices from Tunisia are a bit more confusing to work out.

The Harissa I have identified as a chilly powder but why has it got couscous printed underneath it. The cumin has fish printed underneath it. Are these just suggestions as to what they go with?

I have posted a pic and would like to know if anyone could throw some light on some of theses spices, the Rose with Marie written underneath it in small letters for example is obviously Rosemary (excuse my ignorance I didn't even know it was a spice).

Or the "the a la menthe" I have found translates to mint but it seems in seed or leaf form.
There is one called "Sarafan" which I take may be saffron but the colour does not appear the same as the google pics I can see, not that I would know saffron anyway or how to use it.
All and any advice welcome. Tommy

[fried]

The harissa would normally be a hot chilli paste used in North African cuisine. It's labelled as couscous because this is in fact the name of the traditional lamb stew, and not the 'semoule' that you normally eat with it. The dish is normally cooked mild and you add as much chilli paste as you wish.

Th? ? la menthe _ Mint tea.

The Safran is strange, my sis-in-law brought me something identical back from Turkey, It's not saffron, I assume it's a mix with a certain percentage of saffron and some other stuff (plenty of salt if I remember correctly).

[Tommy Timebomb]

Thanks for the info Fried.
I wrote a reply the other day but must of overlooked pressing the send button.

Well it seems there's nothing too exciting in this box I've got.
I suppose I'm going to have to get round to trying out mint tea for the fist time in my life.

The price of the box is equivalent to