Coriander and garlic marinade – Delicious chermoula sauce (or Charmoula) is a marinade or sauce that is most often used to accompany fish, vegetables, and poultry. In Morocco, it is used in many tajine fish recipes.
Traditional Chermoula
Is prepared in a mortar. However, you can prepare this Moroccan marinade using a blender to chop herbs and garlic and finish it in a bowl by mixing the rest of the ingredients: spices, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Place your herbs, and spices, into the bowl and hold it steady with one hand. Using the other, hold the pestle.
By pressing the pestle down into the mortar, and moving it back and forth, you can grind and blend the fresh herbs, because the grinding motion of the pestle will help release essential oils from the leaves.
Useful for meal prep
You can make this Coriander and garlic marinade – Delicious chermoula in advance and keep it for a week in the air in an airtight jar, taking care to cover it with a layer of olive oil.
My own tips
I will advise you to use the spices in seeds, they enhance the taste of the marinade, you can use coriander and cumin seeds, and roast them beforehand (in the frying pan without any fat).
We can vary the recipe by adding other spices such as saffron, ginger, and Curcuma, every family has their own unique mix of spices, and there is no precise rule to achieve a good Chermoula.
Here are some of my favorite Moroccan recipes kefta meatballs in tomato sauce, Coucous royale, and Chouchouka
Coriander and garlic marinade – Delicious chermoula sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of parsley 1 cup aprox
- 1 bunch of coriander 1 cup aprox
- 3 cloves of garlic
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- In the mortar:
- Press the garlic and spices (salt, pepper, paprika and cumin) in the mortar until obtaining a good consistency.
- Add the herbs, oil and lemon juice and crush a second time to form a homogeneous paste.
- Adjust seasoning.
- Place in an airtight container until ready to use or refrigerate for up to 1 week in an airtight jar, covering the surface with olive oil.
- In the mixer:
- Rinse the herbs (parsley and coriander) and remove the leaves, keeping the tender part of the stems.
- Finely chop fresh herbs and cloves of garlic.
- Season with salt and pepper, add the remaining spices (cumin and paprika, and chili flakes) and mix well.
- Pour lemon juice and olive oil (3 to 4 tablespoons for me), mix again.
Nutrition
12 thoughts on “Coriander and garlic marinade – Delicious chermoula sauce”
No conocia esta salsa y de leerla ya se me hizo la boca agua. Me encantan lis sabores que incoepora. Sin duda la sumare a mi repertorio
Patricia, muchas gracias por pasar por aquí, es una salsa tradicional marroquí que se puede usar como marinada o como salsa! deliciosa de verdad!
I never heard about this but I’m so ready to try it!
Enri! yes this is a traditional Moroccan recipe it can be used as a marinade or a sauce! really fresh and delicious!
Que delicia!! Seguro la preparo, para mi no hay nada mas rico que una buena salsa.
Muchas gracias Alejandra!! estoy seguro que te va a encantar!
No la conocía, pero cada ingrediente que la compone me encanta!
Hola Silvia!!
muchas gracias! es rica de verdad!
This is one of my favorite marinades and condiments! I love your tips and suggestions.
Thank you Mimi you are too kind!! this is really delicious and fresh! I am glad you liked it!
Very good post.
Thank you Mino