Moroccan cuisine is recognized by gourmets as one of the best in the world. Formed at the junction of various influences, she was able to take all the best from the colonialists and immigrants who inhabited these generous lands. A bright potpourri of spices and herbs, freshness of fish and meat, a variety of cereals and vegetables, a wealth of culinary traditions - this is what Moroccan cuisine is.
History of Moroccan cuisine
The original inhabitants of Morocco are Berbers, "free people", they came up with tagine and couscous. The Arab invasion, having subsided, left in Moroccan cuisine an abundance of spices, a love of nuts and dried fruits, unusual combinations of sweet and sour. The inheritance of the Moors was the olives and their oil, lemon juice and new methods of conservation.
The Ottoman Empire presented the Moroccans with various kebabs (barbecue). Morocco's existence as a French colony gave the kitchen its final shine.
The French taught the Moroccans how to bake delicious buns, opened the first cafes and instilled a taste for wines. Through the efforts of so many nations, over millennia of cutting, Moroccan cuisine has become a real paradise for gourmet gourmets.
Herbs and spices popular in Moroccan cuisine
One of the most popular spice mixes in Morocco consists of:
- dried ginger;
- cumin;
- black pepper;
- ground turmeric;
- salt.
It is a potpourri of these spices that is put in almost every tagine and added to couscous. In general, in Morocco, cumin is one of the most popular spices; a saucer of it is served along with a salt shaker and a pepper shaker. Another popular spice is cinnamon. It is put in tagines, marshmallows - a traditional puff pastry, fruit salads.
Saffron, cardamom, sesame seeds, paprika, anise and cloves are also widely used. The most popular herbs in Moroccan bazaars are parsley and cilantro. Together with them, mint, thyme and marjoram are often put in various dishes.
Thyme, which is well known and loved in Mediterranean cuisine, is used only in Morocco to add new flavor nuances not only to first and second courses, but also to desserts.
Oils and aromatic waters
Olive oil reigns supreme in Moroccan cuisine as well as in other Mediterranean countries, but since the best oil is often exported, in home cooking it has been replaced by the cheaper (for Morocco) argan oil.
It has a strong nutty flavor that does not harm the charm of Moroccan dishes. The Moroccans inherited from the Turks a love of pink and orange water, the waters are widely used in the preparation of desserts, fruit salads and drinks.
Nuts and dried fruits
Nuts and dried fruits can be called the national food of the Moroccans. During Ramadan, and most Moroccans are Muslims, you should drink three sips of water and eat a handful of nuts or dried fruit before meals.
The most popular nuts are almonds and walnuts. Of dried fruits, figs, dried apricots and prunes are most often used, which are placed with meat, fish, vegetables, cereals.
How and what to eat in Morocco
The most popular soup in Morocco is harira. Its recipes vary depending on the region and season, but the basis is always meat - beef, lamb, chicken, tomatoes, onions, lentils and chickpeas with flour dressing.
Tazhin (tajin) in Morocco is called both the dish and the traditional dishes in which it is cooked. This amazing construction of a low clay pot and a lid in the form of a sharp dome allows food to cook evenly, and all the aroma is condensed in the vapors that collect on the tagine lid in the form of drops, which are forced back into the dish by the inexorable law of gravity.
Anything can be turned into tagine; meat and fish, vegetables and fruits are put there. Some typical tagines consist of lamb and nuts, lamb with prunes and almonds, chicken with olives and canned lemons.
Each region has its own, special tagine, which they are proud of and consider it to be the best and most delicious. Since food in tagine takes a long time to cook, housewives put food in it for dinner right after breakfast.
Couscous, also known as sex in Morocco, is one of the healthiest foods in the world. It is mistakenly called cereal, but it is more correct to consider it a type of durum wheat pasta.
Although couscous can now be bought ready-made, Moroccans still often cook it themselves, rubbing semolina and water with their palms for hours to get small pellets that will be steamed. Ready-made couscous is boiled and served as a hot side dish with meat or vegetables, or put in salads.
By the way, about salads. In Morocco, they are divided into two types: cooked and raw. Raw vegetables are made from vegetables seasoned with olive oil, spices and herbs. Ready-made ones, such as zaaluk, bakula, shakshuka, are prepared from a combination of vegetables and spices, boiled in a saucepan.
Pastilla came to Morocco from Spanish Andalusia. It was brought by the exiled Moors in the 15th century. In this puff pastry, perfectly crispy dough, pigeon or chicken meat, the sweetness of sugar and cinnamon, the viscosity of a fragrant sauce with almond paste.
Moroccans usually eat fresh fruits or salads after meals. Pastries, on the other hand, are served separately, to mint tea, which is popular in Morocco. It is brought in small cups with fresh plant leaves inside. Turkish coffee or coffee with milk is also served with pastries.
The most popular sweets in Morocco are "gazelle ankles" - crescent-shaped cookies with almond filling and "cigars", briutes, also with minadles.
