Ras el hanout or Rass el hanout (Arabic: رأس الحانوت‎ raʾs al-ḥānūt, pronounced [rɑʔs ælħɑːnuːt]) is a spice mix from North Africa. It plays a similar role in North African cuisine as garam masala does in Indian cuisine. The name is Arabic for "head of the shop" (similarly to the English expression "top-shelf") and implies a mixture of the best spices the seller has to offer. Ras el hanout is used in many savory dishes, sometimes rubbed on meat or fish, or stirred into couscous or rice.