The customs of Moroccan gastronomy

Moroccan cuisine is characterized by the blend of spices and herbs found in its dishes. The history of Morocco and its colonizers is the only way to understand how the food of this country has become what it is today. The Berbers, the Arabs, the Moors, and the French all left their mark with different culinary and cultural customs that we can appreciate in every bite.

Many of the ingredients they introduced to Moroccan cuisine are now an integral part of some of its most typical dishes. The flavors and aromas of Morocco will make you want to try every dish.

A Moroccan meal usually begins with a selection of hot and/or cold salads called Zaaluk. Here are some examples: artichoke salad with garlic, spices, and preserved lemon; romaine lettuce and orange salad; or spinach salad with preserved lemon and olives.

The main course is typically a tagine, couscous, or pastilla. Pastilla is a savory pastry that originated in Fez and combines sweet and savory elements. It consists of layers of puff pastry filled with meat, seasoned with an almond and spice filling, and topped with powdered sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Examples include lamb pastilla with Medjool dates or duck pastilla with apricots and pine nuts.

For dessert, it's typical to share a plate of seasonal fruit and the country's traditional sweets, such as an assortment of pastries, mille-feuille, or delicious cakes. Moroccans usually finish their meals with a glass of sweet mint tea. Other delicious dishes that we encourage you to try before leaving Morocco are:

Harira

A soup made with tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, and sometimes a little meat. During the month of Ramadan, the fast is broken with a hot bowl of this soup.
Meat skewer

In many street stalls throughout the country, as well as in typical restaurants, you will find skewers with diced chicken or beef cooked on the grill and accompanied by salad or chips.
Moroccan Kefta

Kefta is minced meat with spices that is cooked either in a tagine or over charcoal. It's a dish similar to meatballs but less rounded and very common throughout the country.
Traditional Moroccan bread

As much as we talk about typical dishes… we also need to accompany them! In this case, we're talking about Moroccan bread, called Khubz. It's a bread baked without yeast, which is why it maintains its flat, rounded shape with little crumb, making it perfect for keeping for longer.

Prepare your Chicken Tagine when you get home to remember your trip to Morocco!

A tagine is a traditional Moroccan cooking vessel in which food is steamed, preventing it from drying out. It's a clay pot, traditionally made of earthenware, which gives the dish its name. It has a shallow bottom and a conical lid that helps retain heat well, both during and after cooking. Chicken tagine is one of the most typical Moroccan recipes. It's delicious and incredibly easy to make!

Ingredients:

Vegetables to taste: 1 leek, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 1 zucchini, 2 tomatoes, 2 green peppers, etc.
2 cups of chicken broth
2 teaspoons ras al hanut
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt

Preparation:
1. Wash, peel and cut all the vegetables into small pieces, making sure they are more or less the same size

2. Prepare the chicken in small squares.

3. Add the olive oil to the tagine and, when it's hot, add the vegetables and cook until soft. Then, add the chicken and, when it starts to brown, add the spices.

4. Stir well so that the ingredients are well coated with the spices.

5. Add the chicken broth so that all the ingredients are covered.

6. Cover the tagine, turn down the heat and let it cook for half an hour.

You have your chicken tagine!