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The African kingdom of Morocco is associated with a hot desert, ancient fortresses, exotic beaches and oranges. And what do we know about the cuisine of this country? In general terms, it is dominated by legumes, meat, vegetables, an endless abundance of fresh herbs and a lush bouquet of spicy spices. We offer you to study in detail the popular Moroccan dishes. Right now we are going on a gastronomic tour to the sultry African coast.
Beetroot with peppercorn
In Morocco, it is customary to serve a plate with small meze snacks with wine and strong alcohol, which are eaten with your hands. It can be fresh or pickled olives, pieces of cheese in spices, dried meat, assorted vegetables. According to the established tradition, a high stack of hot tortillas and a saucepan with mutabal — spicy eggplant caviar-are placed on the table next to them. The role of meze is also often played by spicy beetroot in Moroccan style.
Ingredients:
- large beetroot — 1 pc.
- pickled cucumber — 2 pcs.
- fresh chili pepper — 1 pod
- celery stalk-3-4 pcs.
- young garlic-1-2 cloves
- olive oil — 4 tbsp.
- mustard seeds — 1 tsp.
- ginger root — 1-2 cm.
- lemon juice — 2 tbsp. l.
- honey — 1 tsp.
- ground cumin-0.5 tsp.
- salt, black pepper — to taste
Heat the olive oil, fry the chopped chili pepper and ginger root for a minute. We cut the peeled beetroot with petals, put it in a frying pan together with mustard seeds and cumin. Gently stirring, fry for 4-5 minutes, pour out the sliced celery stalk. After another 5 minutes, add crushed garlic, honey and lemon juice, as well as cucumbers in small strips. Mix everything well, remove from the heat and insist under the lid for 15 minutes. Beetroot meze can be served independently and as a side dish to meat or fish.
Bean abundance
If you are going to have a solid lunch in Morocco, order harira soup at a local restaurant. For a long time there has been a special tradition associated with this dish. In the holy month of Ramadan, with the onset of sunset, when it is allowed to break the fast, this soup is put on the table, but only without meat. On normal days, it is cooked in a strong meat broth with the addition of chickpeas, lentils and juicy tomatoes. Moroccans complement it with dates, sesame cookies or a piece of honey cake.
Ingredients:
- lamb meat-400 g
- chickpeas-100 g
- brown lentils-100 g
- large tomatoes-3-4 pcs.
- onion — 1 head
- melted butter — 4 tbsp. l.
- fresh chili pepper — 1 pod
- paprika — 1 tsp.
- cumin, turmeric, ground ginger-0.5 tsp each.
- cilantro-a small bunch
- salt, black pepper — to taste
Soak the chickpeas overnight, then cook for an hour. At the same time, we pass the chopped onion and chili pepper in melted butter until they soften. Add all the spices, and after a minute-the lamb cut into large cubes. Fry it on all sides until golden brown for 5-7 minutes.
We transfer the fried meat to a saucepan with chickpeas, add water, cook over moderate heat for an hour. After 30 minutes after boiling, add mashed fresh tomatoes and lentils, bring it to readiness. At the end, salt and pepper it to taste, pour out the chopped coriander and let the soup brew for 15-20 minutes.
A pie for everyone to surprise
Moroccan pastilla pie will surprise even the most sophisticated. Minced meat with ground almonds, egg cream, cinnamon and herbs is hidden under a thin crispy dough sprinkled with powdered sugar. According to custom, the pie was prepared for large feasts and the first piece was solemnly presented to the most important and dear guest. The poor used pigeon meat as a filling. However, this tradition is still alive in some regions. Our pie will be with juicy chicken.
Ingredients:
- chicken thigh-500 g
- filo dough — 10-12 sheets
- butter — 100 g
- water — 1 cup
- eggs — 3 pcs.
- onion — 2-3 pcs.
- parsley — 1 bunch
- roasted almonds-400 g
- honey — 1 tbsp. l.
- olive oil — 1 tsp.
- cinnamon — 2 sticks
- salt, ground ginger, orange water-1 tsp.
- black pepper-0.5 tsp.
- saffron-a pinch
- powdered sugar and cinnamon — for serving
In a frying pan with a thick bottom, fry the onion with parsley and spices. As soon as it becomes transparent, add the chicken thighs, pour in water and simmer for 40-45 minutes under the lid. We cool the finished meat, remove it from the bones and disassemble it into small fibers. In the remaining sauce, put honey, cinnamon sticks and beaten eggs, simmer over low heat until you get a thick sauce.
Lubricate the round shape with butter, lay a sheet of filo dough so that the edges hang from the sides. We smear it well with oil, spread the second sheet and repeat everything 6-7 times. Grind the almonds into crumbs, mix with the sauce in a frying pan, orange water and meat filling. We fill the dough base with it, wrap the edges to the center, and put another 3-4 sheets of filo on top of each other. Do not forget to smear them with oil. We put it in the oven at 180 °C for half an hour. Before serving, sprinkle the pastilla with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
Hummus in green
One of the most favorite snacks in Morocco is hummus-chickpea pate. Although the authorship of the dish is attributed to the Greeks, Turks, Syrians and Jews. The latter claim that hummus is mentioned in the Old Testament — it was Boaz who treated Ruth to it. However, the Lebanese insist that they were the first to come up with this snack.
Morocco does not claim to be the birthplace of hummus. But here you can try it in a variety of variations. The basis is a puree of boiled chickpeas, to which sesame paste tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and a bouquet of spices are added. And then you can put anything in the hummus — boiled beets, pumpkin, avocado, mashed into puree, etc. Green hummus is perfect for the spring menu.
Ingredients:
- chickpeas-300 g
- garlic-1-2 cloves
- tahini paste-150 g
- lemon — 1 pc.
- olive oil — 2 tbsp.
- spinach — 1 bunch
- parsley — 1 bunch
- cumin — 2 tsp.
- coriander — 1 tsp.
- soda — 1 tsp.
- salt, black pepper — to taste
Soak the chickpeas all night, pour fresh water in a large saucepan, bring to a boil, put the soda and cook until ready. Cool the peas, pour them into the bowl of a blender, add coarsely chopped herbs, garlic, lemon juice and zest, tahini paste. Beat everything until you get a smooth paste. Pour in the olive oil, season with salt and spices, whisk again. If the mass is too thick, pour in a little warm water. Serve the hummus with unleavened tortillas, fresh and baked vegetables.
Crispy spicy balls
Another popular Moroccan chickpea snack is falafel. It consists of spicy balls of ground beans in a crispy breading. The history of this dish is also full of guesses and disagreements. According to the most common version, Jews began to prepare falafel while still in Egypt. Nutritious chickpea balls were saved from hunger when there was a shortage of other products. Later, the snack became widespread in many Middle Eastern countries. In Morocco, she also liked it. And here is the recipe for falafel itself.
Ingredients:
- chickpeas-150 g
- onion — 1 head
- garlic-2-3 cloves
- dill and parsley-0.5 bunches each
- coriander, cumin, turmeric, mustard seeds, chili pepper flakes-0.5 tsp.
- salt and black pepper – to taste
- ground crackers, sesame seeds, flax seeds — for breading
- vegetable oil for deep-frying — 400-500 ml
Soak the chickpeas in a large amount of water overnight. But you don’t need to cook it this time. Drain the water, wash the peas and grind them in a blender. Add the chopped herbs, diced onion and crushed garlic, beat again until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. We knead all the spices in a mortar, add them to the chickpea puree, salt and pepper.
Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan with a thick bottom. From the chickpea mass, we form neat balls, roll them in breadcrumbs and dip them in small portions into a deep fryer. We stand for no longer than 2-3 minutes, so that they are covered with a golden crust. Serve the falafel with fresh vegetables and a light yogurt-based sauce.
Tagine with African motifs
The Moroccans borrowed a lot from the Berbers, the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa. It was they who began to use tagine for cooking. This is a special dish made of clay with a high domed lid. Due to the unusual shape, an intense steam circulation is created inside during stewing, which envelops every piece of meat or vegetables, making them soft and juicy.
Tagine is also called the dish itself, which is obtained as a result. In the Moroccan tradition, this is most often the most tender lamb with dried fruits in a thick sauce, chicken with green olives and salted lemons, duck with dates and honey or white fish with an abundance of greens and fresh tomatoes. We suggest trying this recipe for tagine.
Ingredients:
- beef pulp-500 g
- chickpeas-200 g
- soda — 0.5 tsp.
- onion — 2 medium heads
- large carrots — 1 pc.
- pumpkin — 300 g
- bulgarian pepper — 1 pc.
- cherry tomatoes — 8-10 pcs.
- vegetable oil-3-4 tbsp. l.
- garlic-3-4 cloves
- salt, black pepper, paprika, ground ginger — to taste
- fresh herbs — for serving
As usual, we start with chickpeas. We soak it overnight, then boil it with the addition of soda. While the peas are cooking, we heat the tagine with vegetable oil and fry the diced beef. Add crushed garlic, onion rings and carrot straws. As soon as the meat is well fried, pour out the pumpkin, chopped into large slices. Season the mixture with salt and spices, pour in a little water, cover with a lid, simmer over low heat until ready. At the end, we mix the chickpeas that have boiled by this time. Serve the stew directly in the tagine, garnished with whole cherry tomatoes and parsley petals.
Chicken in placers of gold
The main cereal in Morocco is couscous. Since ancient times, it has been prepared manually by a rather painstaking method. First, the wheat grains were ground into flour and moistened, then rolled into tiny balls and dried for a long time under the sun. This turned out to be a universal ingredient that was added to salads, soups, side dishes and even desserts. Even today, this cereal often replaces bread for Moroccans in everyday life. However, the holidays can not do without it. Here is a recipe for a couscous dish that can be served at a dinner party.
Ingredients:
- couscous — 400 g
- chicken — 1 carcass
- bulgarian pepper — 3 pcs.
- red onion — 2 heads
- olive oil-for grating + 1 tbsp. l. for couscous
- cinnamon, paprika, cumin, coriander, black pepper-0.5 tsp each.
- coarse salt-0.5 tsp.
- fresh green peas — 200 g
We cut the chicken carcass into portions, wash and dry it. Mix all the spices and salt, knead a little with a pestle. We rub the fragments of the bird with them, lubricate them with olive oil and leave them to drink for an hour.
We put the chicken in a baking dish and put it in the oven at 180 °C for 60 minutes. Do not forget to turn the meat over from time to time. After half an hour, we peel the peppers from the tails and seeds, cut them into strips, spread them on a baking sheet, sprinkle with oil and also put them in the oven. At the same time, place the chicken under the grill, and the vegetables-from below.
Finally, let’s start with couscous. We wash the cereals in water, pour 800 ml of boiling water in a deep bowl, add olive oil and salt. Cover the bowl with a plate and stand for 10-15 minutes. Lightly blanch the green peas in boiling salted water. Serve the ruddy chicken with crumbly couscous and green peas.
Moroccan pancakes
Pastries in Moroccan cuisine are characterized by simplicity of preparation and at the same time a bright rich taste. She has adopted many traditions of Moorish, Arabic, Jewish and Mediterranean cuisines. A vivid example of this is the harsha tortillas. They are prepared from the semolina flour, which is popular in Italy, ground from durum wheat. In appearance and taste, it is similar to semolina, so it can be safely used in the recipe if there is no semolina. And the tortillas themselves are somewhat reminiscent of our native pancakes.
Ingredients:
- semolina – 300 g
- butter-120 g
- milk — 100 ml
- cane sugar — 3 tsp.
- baking powder — 1 tsp.
- salt-0.5 tsp.
- vanillin-on the tip of a knife
- flax seeds and sesame seeds – for sprinkling
- vegetable oil — for frying
We combine dry semolina, baking powder, sugar, salt and vanilla in a deep container. Mix everything evenly, put the softened butter, rub it thoroughly. Pour in the warmed milk and gradually knead the soft dough. We give him a little rest so that the semolina swells.
We form small round cutlets from the dough and divide them into three parts. We roll one batch in semolina, the second — in flax seeds, the third-in sesame. Fry them in vegetable oil until golden brown. You can serve harsha tortillas with yogurt, honey or jam.
Pancakes in openwork
Moroccan baghrir pancakes are a typical street fast food that you can try in any city at every step. They are prepared from the same semolina and yeast is necessarily added. The main secret that has been observed for centuries is that pancakes are fried only on one side to preserve a delicate porous texture. At the same time, the frying pan should not be heated in any case — it should remain cold. This is the only way to get airy porous pancakes.
Ingredients:
- semolina (semolina) – 100 g
- flour-300 g
- dry yeast-0.5 tsp.
- egg yolks — 2 pcs.
- warm water-750 ml
- salt – ¼ tsp.
- sugar — 1 tsp.
- vegetable oil — 1 tbsp. l.
- butter — 100 g
- honey — 4-5 tbsp. l.
In one container, mix semolina, flour, yeast, salt and sugar. In the other, whisk the yolks and water with a whisk. We combine the dry and liquid bases, beat with a mixer, gradually pouring in vegetable oil. Cover the dough with a towel and leave for an hour.
Grease a cold frying pan with oil, immediately pour out a little dough with a ladle and form a pancake. Fry it only on one side, after which we quickly spread it on a dish and lubricate it with a mixture of butter and honey. We cool the pan under a stream of cold water and repeat the whole procedure again. Such pancakes are good without any toppings and fillings.
A sip of mint coolness
From the heat in Morocco, they are saved by cold green tea. By tradition, it is drunk in huge quantities, but in small glasses with a volume of no more than 120 ml. And they brew it in a tin kettle with a long spout. A special kind of mint is necessarily put in the drink — maramia from the genus of desert sage. As a rule, tea is served at the end of a long, hearty meal. According to the Moroccans, it helps to better assimilate heavy food. They do not skimp on sugar, but they neglect lemon. Here is a classic recipe for green tea with mint.
Ingredients:
- green tea — 4 tsp.
- filtered water-750 ml
- sugar — 50-60 g
- fresh mint — 4-5 sprigs
We wash the mint under water and dry it thoroughly. Pour boiling water over the teapot, put dry tea leaves and mint on the bottom. We fill them with 250 ml of hot water at a temperature not exceeding 90 °C, cover them with a lid, wrap them with a terry towel, leave them for 10 minutes. Then pour the remaining water into the kettle, pour out the sugar and stir well. Let the drink cool completely, put it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Serve green Moroccan tea in glasses with ice cubes and fresh mint leaves.
Now you know how to cook the ten most popular Moroccan dishes that you should definitely try to better understand the cuisine of this country. If you want to continue your acquaintance, go to the page with recipes of national cuisines of the world. And if you have ever tried these or other Moroccan dishes that we have not mentioned, share your impressions in the comments.