Moroccans are proud of their cuisine and they should be; it's some of the most tasty, best seasoned, and diverse in the Mediterranean. Sometimes you need to take a drive to experience the diversity, and if you do, you'll certainly be rewarded. Below is just one list of many lists to come.
I actually did not cook a lot of Moroccan food while in service, but was a happy recipient of a lot of home-cooked meals. In most cases, the kitchen was off-bounds for me so I had to ask other female volunteers or search the web for insight into the magic that was taking place behind closed doors. As I sit back and reflect on my two years of Peace Corps service, the cuisine is something that I'll surely miss. However, even though I am back stateside, there's no reason why I shouldn't try to recreate the magic. I'm going to give it my best shot. Some of the items listed have links to recipes and preparation videos so I invite you to do the same. Enjoy the read and enjoy the food!
Aatay b na na (Moroccan Arabic name for their sweet-as-molasses Moroccan mint tea) a.k.a. "Le Whisky Marocain"
Moroccans cannot be separated from their tea. If the price of tea were to go up or if the government were to impose a tax on the consumption of tea, without a doubt there would be a massive revolt. It is a Moroccan staple that is unlikely to change for many years to come.
No matter where you go, there will be countless invitations to share a little tea. In the cold winters, there's nothing better to warm you up or to give your body a sugar jolt. At first, I was really turned off by all the sugar, but then I began to miss the taste of their tea and towards the end I would get on the garçon's (waiter) case about skimping on the sugar.
Mountains of Olives
Unadulterated Olive Oil
Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of Moroccan olive oil. In terms of appearance, it looks a lot like the olive oil from Spain or Italy. Some oils are filtered more than others. Personally, I liked the strong bitter taste of some of the country-pressed oil that had undergone less filtering.
A typical breakfast in Morocco consisted of fresh out-of-the-oven bread that was then broken up and dabbed over olive oil. Not what you would typically eat as breakfast in the U.S., but oh was it tasty. The hot, toasty bread dunked in a little oil would simply melt in your mouth and the aroma of the oil was so wonderfully pleasant.
With such a large supply of olives, olive oil can be found everywhere also for much cheaper than you would find at U.S. or European stores. I am surprised that Moroccan olive oil has not made it to U.S. stores yet. According to the latest "Free Trade" deal between the U.S. and Morocco, olives and olive oil were going to be one of the few commodities that would start flowing to the U.S. I hope it does, and I hope it does soon.
Ramadan Sweet Treats: Chebekia
When I arrived in Morocco back in September of '08, I got in about mid-way through Ramadan, a month characterized by the dawn to dusk no food or drink fast and more religious observance. As you can imagine during the day, most people in the streets deprived of any liquids or food are moving in slow-motion careful not to exhaust their reserves. When I first heard of Ramadan, I wasn't aware of the liquids ban and thought, "Now that's extreme." Then, later on I was invited to break the fast with my host family and tasted my first chebekia and thought, "Now that's extreme flavor!"
These golden brown rolled and folded fried cookie dough treats smothered in honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds were a wake-up call to my taste buds. No MSGs necessary to go on a binge. These confections are naturally addicting.
Sometimes I think that I should go on an anthropological expedition to find out how different foods came about. Is there a National Geographic show or something on the Food channel on this? Well, if there is, the next episode should focus on these crunchy, sweet hard-to-put-down confections. Until a show reveals the history and evolution of this delicious Moroccan delight, I will thank the culinary God(s) for giving my fellow Moroccans this bit of divine inspiration.
In my old town of Sefrou, I could buy about a quarter kilo for 5DH (less than $1) from a old medina hole-in-the-wall Hlwa hanut (sweets vendor), and I would typically finish it in one night. If I wanted some with real honey instead of syrup, I would shell out about twice as much at a fancy patisserie for about the same amount. It's a dieter's worst nightmare. Mountain Dew wouldn't stand a chance against these guys in jacking up your blood sugar so unless you're going to expend the calories, eat responsibly.
Click here if you wish to see a recipe. Fortunately, if you're on your way to Morocco, no need to wait until Ramadan; most patisseries and some old medina Hlwa street vendors carry them year-round.
Harira
Whenever someone utters the word harira, my mind automatically drifts to my first bowl ever where I learned the art of eating it with bowl in hand, swishing it around in circular motion, and then giving it a hearty slurp. In the cold Moroccan winters, it was a lifesaver. When I was broke, it would stave off a growling stomach without breaking the bank (2DH or 25 cents for a bowl).
Tomato serves as the base, but with cilantro, parsley, ginger, onions, chickpeas, lentils, carrots, celery, and a handful of vermicelli all mixed in, it's much more than a tomato soup; it's a bonanza of flavor that is full of substance.
Harira is also very common during Ramadan. Generally, families break the fast with a bowl before moving on to other life-reviving foods. Not to worry though, harira can also be found year-round at most restaurants, hole-in-the-wall harira vendors, and a lot of families make it to survive the winter. Some will add a bit of harsha (the equivalent of American corn-bread) to it or will break apart a chebekia on top. Others that like the sweet and salty combination will simply eat some dates while slurping a mouthful of harira. There are many ways to experience this hearty soup. If you're unsure how to approach it, try them all!
Do try this at home! Click here for the recipe.
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Before I wrote this entry, I thought about ranking the items, but then I thought about how silly rankings really are. I mean how do you compare chebekia to couscous; they're on two different playing fields and my rankings were in constant fluctuation as one couscous tasted better or different in someone's home than it did in someone else's. Also, every region in Morocco prepares things slightly different depending on the availability of ingredients. I still have a lot more food items that I need to write about. This list is bound to grow in the coming months and years.
Thanks for reading and again BssHa (To your health) on your culinary endeavors.
------
I found a few bestselling books on Moroccan cuisine on Amazon. According to one reviewer, Paula Wolfert wrote a textbook-like guide to Moroccan cooking back in the 1970s that is still the authoritative book. Some of the newer ones have better pictures, but may not be as authentic. Check them out!
I actually did not cook a lot of Moroccan food while in service, but was a happy recipient of a lot of home-cooked meals. In most cases, the kitchen was off-bounds for me so I had to ask other female volunteers or search the web for insight into the magic that was taking place behind closed doors. As I sit back and reflect on my two years of Peace Corps service, the cuisine is something that I'll surely miss. However, even though I am back stateside, there's no reason why I shouldn't try to recreate the magic. I'm going to give it my best shot. Some of the items listed have links to recipes and preparation videos so I invite you to do the same. Enjoy the read and enjoy the food!
Aatay b na na (Moroccan Arabic name for their sweet-as-molasses Moroccan mint tea) a.k.a. "Le Whisky Marocain"
 |
| Some Moroccan Tea at the Cascades of Ouzoud |
No matter where you go, there will be countless invitations to share a little tea. In the cold winters, there's nothing better to warm you up or to give your body a sugar jolt. At first, I was really turned off by all the sugar, but then I began to miss the taste of their tea and towards the end I would get on the garçon's (waiter) case about skimping on the sugar.
The distinct taste is a result of two main factors. Unlike the American or British tradition of pouring hot water over the leafs or herbs and letting it brew in the mug, Moroccans brew their green tea leaves in their ornamental teapots, they then add a brick of sugar and brew it a little longer, and then they turn off the gas and add fresh mint (naa na), verveine (luiza), or other seasonal herbs like wormwood (chiba) - the stuff they use to make absinthe. All three varieties are super delicious and healthy if you cut down on the sugar. I invite you to try them all.
You may also find that many Moroccans don't blow on their tea to cool it; instead, they slurrrp it. It took me a while to master the technique, but essentially you breath it in as you drink it and it has the same cooling effect if you do it right. BssHA (To your health) on your tea drinking!
You may also find that many Moroccans don't blow on their tea to cool it; instead, they slurrrp it. It took me a while to master the technique, but essentially you breath it in as you drink it and it has the same cooling effect if you do it right. BssHA (To your health) on your tea drinking!
Mountains of Olives
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| Moroccan black olives |
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| Seasoned Moroccan green olives |
Morocco is blessed with the perfect climate to produce some of the finest olives in the Mediterranean. Their seasonal winter rains and clear, blue summer sky are ideal for the sun-loving olive groves. For someone who was a fan of olives already, arriving in Morocco and seeing heaps upon heaps of olives at the souq (market) was such a comforting and overwhelming experience. What's even more mind-blowing is how great each variety tastes and even more amazing than that is how cheap they are. Your typical U.S. supermarket stocks various sizes of green Spanish olives or bland black ones. In contrast, most Moroccan markets showcase their largess in rows of olive peaks of light and dark green olives marinated in a mix of red peppers or lemon and parsley, purple olives, and the bitter and wrinkly, but flavor-packed black olives.
Moroccan cuisine incorporates olives into their meals quite well. I remember one day during my Community-Based Training my host mother marinated a whole chicken with onions, peppers, lemon rinds, and a dash of saffron and other spices, placed it in the oven with all the seasonings and then brought out a golden brown chicken that was surrounded by a moat of tangy chicken broth on an innumerable amount of green olives bobbing in suspension just asking to be devoured. I had this meal over two years ago and I can remember it as if it was yesterday. What a delicious feast!
Unadulterated Olive Oil
Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of Moroccan olive oil. In terms of appearance, it looks a lot like the olive oil from Spain or Italy. Some oils are filtered more than others. Personally, I liked the strong bitter taste of some of the country-pressed oil that had undergone less filtering.
A typical breakfast in Morocco consisted of fresh out-of-the-oven bread that was then broken up and dabbed over olive oil. Not what you would typically eat as breakfast in the U.S., but oh was it tasty. The hot, toasty bread dunked in a little oil would simply melt in your mouth and the aroma of the oil was so wonderfully pleasant.
With such a large supply of olives, olive oil can be found everywhere also for much cheaper than you would find at U.S. or European stores. I am surprised that Moroccan olive oil has not made it to U.S. stores yet. According to the latest "Free Trade" deal between the U.S. and Morocco, olives and olive oil were going to be one of the few commodities that would start flowing to the U.S. I hope it does, and I hope it does soon.
Ramadan Sweet Treats: Chebekia
 |
| Even the bees are crazy for chebekia |
Sometimes I think that I should go on an anthropological expedition to find out how different foods came about. Is there a National Geographic show or something on the Food channel on this? Well, if there is, the next episode should focus on these crunchy, sweet hard-to-put-down confections. Until a show reveals the history and evolution of this delicious Moroccan delight, I will thank the culinary God(s) for giving my fellow Moroccans this bit of divine inspiration.
In my old town of Sefrou, I could buy about a quarter kilo for 5DH (less than $1) from a old medina hole-in-the-wall Hlwa hanut (sweets vendor), and I would typically finish it in one night. If I wanted some with real honey instead of syrup, I would shell out about twice as much at a fancy patisserie for about the same amount. It's a dieter's worst nightmare. Mountain Dew wouldn't stand a chance against these guys in jacking up your blood sugar so unless you're going to expend the calories, eat responsibly.
Click here if you wish to see a recipe. Fortunately, if you're on your way to Morocco, no need to wait until Ramadan; most patisseries and some old medina Hlwa street vendors carry them year-round.
Harira
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| Harira, harira, hariraaaaa!!! |
Harira is also very common during Ramadan. Generally, families break the fast with a bowl before moving on to other life-reviving foods. Not to worry though, harira can also be found year-round at most restaurants, hole-in-the-wall harira vendors, and a lot of families make it to survive the winter. Some will add a bit of harsha (the equivalent of American corn-bread) to it or will break apart a chebekia on top. Others that like the sweet and salty combination will simply eat some dates while slurping a mouthful of harira. There are many ways to experience this hearty soup. If you're unsure how to approach it, try them all!
Do try this at home! Click here for the recipe.
---
Before I wrote this entry, I thought about ranking the items, but then I thought about how silly rankings really are. I mean how do you compare chebekia to couscous; they're on two different playing fields and my rankings were in constant fluctuation as one couscous tasted better or different in someone's home than it did in someone else's. Also, every region in Morocco prepares things slightly different depending on the availability of ingredients. I still have a lot more food items that I need to write about. This list is bound to grow in the coming months and years.
Thanks for reading and again BssHa (To your health) on your culinary endeavors.
------
I found a few bestselling books on Moroccan cuisine on Amazon. According to one reviewer, Paula Wolfert wrote a textbook-like guide to Moroccan cooking back in the 1970s that is still the authoritative book. Some of the newer ones have better pictures, but may not be as authentic. Check them out!
