Smen (also called sman or semneh) 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. It is similar to ghee in that the butter itself 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. Wikibooks Cookbook has more about this subject: Ghee Ghee (Hindi घी, from Sanskrit ghṛta घृत sprinkled) is a type of clarified butter important in Indian cuisine and tradition, as well as in Pakistan and Bangladesh. ...

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. Some dishware Dishware is a general term for objects—dishes—from which people eat or serve food, such as plates and bowls. ...

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.