If you are looking for traditional Moroccan cuisine look no further, in this article we will try to reveal the mystery behind this fabulous gastronomic tradition.; its history and the reason for its popularity the world over.
The history of traditional Moroccan cuisine started several decades ago in ancient imperial cities in the camps of the Bedouins. It is based on the staple arab diet of couscous, meats, nuts and dry fruits. To this was added a touch of Spain through the Muslim refugees who fled Andalusia and in came the flavors of apices, the love of pastries and sleds from France, fresh fish and all of this turned traditional Moroccan food into a gastronomic legacy.
What goes into the makings of a traditional Moroccan meal?
Couscous of course, the sweet and sour tagines, the refreshing mint tea and the heady fragrance of the spices that lingers in every nook and corner of the country as the aroma of an evening dinner wafts through the open windows. The spices are the hall of a Moroccan meal and regardless of where you grab the bite in a palatial mansion or a humble family home, the spices and the favors is what connects the people of this country. All you have to do is head over to the Djema el Fna square to experience the culinary delights of Morocco. It is not unusual to find the local sipping on their Harira soup or munching on chick peas and of course there is no dearth of tourists in this place all waiting to try out the fames tagines or chicken or the ever delicious egg pie.
The Spices that the Moroccans Love
Walk into one of the food markets of Morocco and its almost like the spices are beckoning you to try out their enticing aromas and enthralling flavors. You will see mounds of spices in all colors and flavors on display in most shops. These spices are usually neatly arranges in pyramids spilling out of a bucket or tin. Even though all of these spices are an integral part of the cuisine, some of these are not home grown but are rather imported from the East while others like cumin, saffron and coriander are grown locally in the fertile Berber valley.
Even though each one of these spices has its own distinctive flavor and aroma, they blend beautifully in Moroccan cuisine one of the reasons for this is the sparing use of spices. Moroccans don’t believe in overdoing the flavors they have to be just perfect and well balanced, nothing should stand out. The spices are used to bring out the flavors of the meat and the vegetables and fruits or to add an extra zing to a dessert. Some of the local favorites are saffron, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric. But if you are not particularly good at blending spices you should consider going for the tops of the line ras el hanout which is the perfect combination of over 20 spices and this mega spice is guaranteed to spruce up any dish.
But don’t expect the local cooks to use ras el hanout because in this country blending spices is an art form and a chefs culinary education simply can’t be complete without acquiring it.
The Tagines and the Couscous:
Couscous is one of the most popular Moroccan dishes it originated from the Berber valley and is made of semolina wheat grains served with a topping of vegetables and meat or fish. A signs of a good couscous should be the fluffy semolina grains and the trick to achieving this lies in proper steaming. There are more than 20 variations of couscous among them the most popular versions are couscous with the seven vegetables, couscous or sefa etc. the recipe with seven vegetables is perfect for all you health and fitness enthusiasts out there because it has turnips, tomatoes, onions, pumpkin, carrots, pepper and courgettes.
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