Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Briouettes
Right
A table set with authentic Moroccan cuisine
Moroccan Cuisine
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Couscous
lemon. Their sweet version is
prepared with groundnuts and
soaked in honey.
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Harira
A staple cuisine across
North Africa, couscous comp-
rises tiny grains of semolina that
are cooked by steaming, which
causes it to swell and turn light
and fluffy. It is usually eaten with
a spicy, harissa-flavoured broth,
and served with steamed vege-
tables and meat.
@
Tajines
A traditional Moroccan soup
made with tomatoes, lentils,
chickpeas, spices and lamb, it is
a substantial meal by itself.
Associated with special
occasions, it is also served
during Ramadan when it is eaten
at sundown to break the fast.
Cooked slowly at low
temperatures in a clay pot with a
cone-shaped lid, tajines typically
combine meat with fruits.
Ingredients for these dishes
include any foodstuff that braises
well, such as fish, beef, dried
fruits, olives and vegetables.
£
Pastilla
A serving of Harira soup
^
Moroccan salads
Pastilla is a starter as well as
a main dish. It is a pillow of filo
pastry with a sweet and savoury
stuffing - generally shredded
pigeon cooked with onions. The
dish is dusted with cinnamon
to give it that distinctive
Moroccan flavour.
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Briouettes
Moroccan salads are served
at the beginning of a meal.
Orange blossom water, a
signature local ingredient, is
used in the preparation of
some salads.
&
Moroccan pastries
The end of a meal is
often marked with
a serving of pastries.
The popular honey
cakes or
chabakia,
deep-fried and dipped
in honey, are served
during Ramadan. Ano-
ther tasty dessert is
sweet pastilla - a filo
pastry covered in
nuts and
crème
Anglaise
(custard).
Small triangles of filo
pastry with a variety of
fillings, the most
common being
minced lamb with
spices and pine nuts,
and feta cheese with
spinach. Some kitchens
in Marrakech also
prepare them with
shrimp, chicken and
Traditional handwashing kettle
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For restaurant listings where you can sample Moroccan cuisine,
see pp52-3, 65, 71, 79, 85, 93 and 99.
