Smen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Smen (also called sman, semneh, or sminn) is a traditional cooking oil most commonly found in Moroccan cuisine. It is produced using the butter made from the milk of sheep or goats. The butter is generously spiced, cooked at a high temperature, salted, and strained. The resulting liquid will then be aged, often in sealed containers buried in the ground. It is similar to ghee.
Smen holds great cultural significance, particularly as an indicator of familial wealth. As such it will often be used as a token of honor for esteemed visitors to a household, akin to using the "fine china" or an especially prized wine in other cultures.
Berber farmers in southern Morocco will sometimes bury a sealed vessel of smen on the day of a daughter's birth, aging it until it is unearthed and used to season the food served on that daughter's wedding.
 |
This food-and-drink-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
