Morocco’s national cuisine is assembled from the culinary traditions of the local traditional peoples. It is a mix of Jewish, Arab, Berber and Mediterranean cuisines. The main feature is the local spices, seasonings and fragrant herbs that give the traditional dishes a recognizable taste. Morocco’s cuisine is very extensive, but there are a few dishes that make the country proud and are a must-try.
Tajin, or Tajin.
This dish is considered a symbol of traditional Moroccan cuisine. It is cooked for a long time in a special dish — a tagine — over a slow fire, and the result is a mouth-watering dish with an interweaving of spicy, salty and sweet flavors.
It consists of large pieces of lamb or chicken, but there is also tajin with fish. The meat is mixed with vegetables and fruit and stewed in its own juice for at least two hours. Tajin is served both in the food courts of shopping centers and in expensive restaurants.
Couscous.
This is the name of both the hard-ground cereal and the dish made from it. Couscous is usually served hot with vegetables and stewed meat. Couscous is dipped in oil and covered with meat broth, flavored with vegetables, almonds, raisins, coriander, cinnamon, mint, cherries.
Couscous is cooked every week in all local homes and eaten from one huge plate. It is prepared differently in every Arab state. Even within Morocco, there are different variations of couscous, including vegetable couscous for vegetarians.
Harira.
Some Moroccans replace beans with rice or vermicelli, and add a little flour to make the dish softer. When served, it is spiced with lemon juice and eaten with dates and pies. It is often served in hotels, as it is quite popular even among tourists from Europe.
Despite the fact that harira is considered an appetizer dish, it is sometimes eaten on its own, as it contains everything you need for a balanced lunch. The soup is rich, thick, hearty and flavorful, but it is useless to look for it in the morning — it is served only after 12:00.
Bissara
Bissara is a traditional Arabian dish, not very attractive in appearance but appetizing in taste. It is a bean sauce or mashed bean soup that is flavored with lemon juice, hot pepper, cumin and thickly drizzled with olive oil. Traditionally, the soup is made in winter, but it is easy to find it in restaurants and local hotels at any time of the year.
Bissara is served in shallow bowls or soup plates with olive oil, paprika and cumin. If the soup is thick, it is spread on bread or simply dipped into it.
Shish-kebab.
The kebab variety, which is common in Turkey and similar to kebab, has appeared here as well. It is fried from lamb, beef or chicken. In addition to meat, fresh vegetables are threaded on a skewer and eaten with bread and harissa.
Shish-kebab is often served with French fries and vegetable salad as a side dish. Shish-kebab is sold in roadside cafes, restaurants and bazaars. It is an excellent choice for a quick snack.
Mruziya
Another iconic and sought-after dish among Moroccans is mruzia. It is a sweet and salty tagine characteristic of the culinary customs of northwestern Africa, which is prepared from lamb, chicken or beef. The meat is stewed in broth with spices, dried fruits and ginger, and before serving it is spiced with almonds, sesame seeds and honey. Eat with rice, chickpeas or couscous.
Mruzia is often served at anniversaries, weddings and other celebrations. You can try it in any Moroccan restaurant.
Bastilla
Bastilla is an unusual cake of Arab-Andalusian origin, which is similar to the Spanish pastilla and means «little cookie». It is traditionally served to guests at events or weddings. Bastilla is prepared on the basis of thin puff pastry with a tender, juicy filling.
According to the traditional recipe, bastilla is stuffed with pigeon meat, but nowadays it is replaced with chicken and veal meat, supplemented with onions, sauce and nuts. The top of the pie is often sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon — this combination of meat and sugar is often found in Moroccan cuisine. Bastille can be found in many restaurants or inns in Morocco.
Msemen.
Msamen are square pancakes made of puff pastry, which are prepared with flour and couscous. They do not include sugar, so they are eaten with honey, jam or butter.
It is not always a dessert dish — it is prepared with chopped vegetables: parsley, onion, celery and szechka, which give the pancakes a slightly reddish color. It is eaten warm, at about 5 o’clock in the afternoon. At this time, msemen is sold at street markets.
Zaalouk.
A juicy, warm appetizer loved by locals and adored by tourists. It is based on stewed eggplants and tomatoes, which are seasoned with oil, garlic, and coriander. The vegetables are baked in advance, then mashed and seasoned with zira, paprika, and herbs.
The spices give the appetizer an unusual smoked flavor. Warm salad is eaten as a side dish to shish kebabs or tajin, as well as with fresh dishes or unsalted flatbread.
Tkhina.
Thina is a sesame paste that can be bought everywhere. It is used here as often as sour cream or mayonnaise is used in Russia. Tkhina is added to meat and fish dishes, appetizers and sweets. Some spread it on bread or eat it with vegetables and legumes. This paste is the basis for most sauces, it is even used to make halva.
Tahina is a bit thick, so when used, it is diluted with water, adding lemon juice, garlic and salt. The base is mixed with different syrups and additives in different regions.
Shebakia
A traditional cookie of Arab cuisine, which resembles pineapple in honey and sesame seeds. The main difference in appearance: in our country, the finished dessert is formed in the form of pigtails, while here they make roses out of them. You can buy cookies in the store.
The dessert is based on dough baked in deep fryer until crispy. It is flavored with saffron, fennel and cinnamon. The finished shebakia is dipped in a sweet syrup containing lemon juice and orange blossom tincture. Finally, it is sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Moroccan breakfast
Moroccan breakfast is served in all hotels in the country. It usually includes Moroccan flatbread, surrounded by painted plates and bowls with olives, goat cheese, orange, strawberry, peach jam, fresh fruit and yogurt.
Moroccans serve an unusual local amlou sauce made from almonds, argan or olive oil and honey. Another obligatory part of breakfast includes sweet mint tea and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Where to eat
The most authentic and tasty traditional dishes are prepared by local housewives, but you can also eat in restaurants. For Arabic exotica, come to the markets, where traditional Moroccan fast food, charcoal meat and kebabs are cooked on portable fryers.
Before and after meals, it is customary in Morocco to rinse your hands in a small bowl of scented water. It is customary to touch food with the right hand only, as the left hand is considered unclean by Muslims.
Tourists with sensitive stomachs are advised to proceed with caution.
