Traditional Moroccan Cuisine, the food of Morocco

Fri, Sep 7th 2007, 00:00

The typical formal meal in Morocco begins with a series of hot and cold salads, followed by a tagine.

In Morocco, bread is eaten with every meal. Bread (or khubz) is sacred in Morocco. Few households have an oven, so there is a community oven in most neighbourhoods where people take their dough to be baked. Moroccans use bread as an eating utensil, a small piece held between thumb and first 2 fingers to pick up food. It is forbidden to throw any bread away, so families keep their leftovers to give to the poor or feed to livestock.

Often a lamb or chicken dish is next, followed by couscous topped with meats and vegetables. Moroccan roasted lamb is cooked until tender enough to be pulled apart and eaten with the fingers. It is often topped with raisin and onion sauces, or even an apricot puree.

Pastilla: (also spelled Bsteeya or Bastilla) is a Moroccan delicacy with Spanish roots – a pie traditionally made with pigeon cooked with almonds, honey and cinnamon.

Mint tea: is an important part of Moroccan life. A cup of sweet mint tea rounds off the meal, and it is served when a visitor enters a house, or members of different tribes meet to discuss important matters. Each family will have an elaborate tea pot, usually engraved silver, and an equally intricate tea tray.

Making mint tea is considered an art form, and the technique of pouring it is just as crucial – Moroccan tea pots have long, curved spouts which allow the tea to be poured into tiny glasses from a dizzy height. Tea is almost always made in the presence of the guests so that they can admire both the beauty of the tea service and the technique of their host as he makes and serves the tea!

Harira: is a thick, peppery soup containing tomato, lentils, chickpeas, eggs, lamb or beef, and lemon. Harira is traditionally made with a lump of dough from the previous day's bread, and many believe it tastes best when made on a traditional wood-burning stove. During the fasting month of Ramadan, every evening the fast is broken with fresh milk and dates. This is then followed by a bowl of harira.

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