MAIN INGREDIENTS
Kalinté is a traditional street bread originating from Tangier. It's usually made with a combination of chickpea flour, eggs, olive oil, salt, lukewarm water, and ground cumin or harissa sauce. Once prepared, the batter should be smooth and chilled for a while before it's baked in a brick oven, usually in a deep-dish pan.
The top of kalinté is brushed with oil and it should be golden brown and glazed once it's baked. Kalinté is eaten by the slice, often as a small rectangle, and it's sprinkled with cumin or harissa before serving. The name of this flan-like dish is the Tangier slang word for heat.
Sellou is a popular Moroccan sweet consisting of oven-browned flour, fried almonds, and toasted sesame seeds. The dessert is not baked, as all of the ingredients are combined instead. Rich and nutty, sellou acts as food that restores energy and health, which is the reason why it is traditionally served during Ramadan and at celebrations or special occasions.
Though its origins presumably lie in Morocco, matbucha is also a favorite in Israel, where it was brought by Jewish immigrants. The dish consists of roasted bell peppers and tomatoes seasoned with garlic and ground paprika. In Morocco, it is typically enjoyed as meze—assorted small dishes—while Israelis typically think of it as an appetizer.
Matbucha should always be served drizzled with a generous amount of olive oil, accompanied by a warm flatbread on the side.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Meskouta is a traditional cake originating from Morocco. This orange and almond cake is made with a combination of almonds, eggs, sugar, honey, orange juice, lemon juice, orange flower water, oil, flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Once prepared, the batter is poured into a pan and baked until golden.
This cake is traditionally prepared in the winter, when oranges ripen. It's often accompanied by hot mint tea or coffee on the side.
These traditional Moroccan bread rolls are prepared with a yeasted, brioche-like dough that is enriched with aniseed. They also incorporate toasted sesame seeds and are usually flavored with orange blossom water. Before baking, krachel are brushed with egg wash, while the top is sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds or pearl sugar.
The buns can be enjoyed plain, but they are also commonly served with cheese and savory or sweet spreads such as butter, jams, or chocolate spreads. They perfectly pair with coffee or tea.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Moroccan stuffed sardines or sardine mzeouej (married sardines) is a traditional fish dish. The dish is usually made by butterflying sardine fillets and stuffing them with chermoula, a concoction made with a combination of garlic, paprika, hot peppers, cumin, salt, olive oil, parsley, lemon juice, and coriander.
The sardines are rubbed with chermoula, coated with flour, and fried in hot oil on both sides. Once done, the fried stuffed sardines are served warm or at room temperature, often accompanied by lemon wedges, harissa, or fresh salads based on tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Boulfaf is a traditional Moroccan dish consisting of grilled and skewered lamb liver rubbed with cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. It is typically served hot with the same spice mixture that was used for rubbing the meat. The dish is especially popular during Eid-al-Adha (the Feast of Sacrifice) in Morocco.
OTHER VARIATIONS OF Kebab
These tiny Moroccan cookies are prepared with a shortbread dough that is usually enriched with aniseed and toasted sesame seeds. The cookies are usually associated with Ashura festival—the tenth day of the first month of the Islamic calendar.
On that occasion, they are typically served with a variety of dry fruits and nuts. The cookies are also prepared for other festivities and can be enjoyed as an everyday snack that best pairs with coffee or tea.
Raib is a Moroccan-style yogurt that is usually prepared at home. The base is made with milk, yogurt, sugar, and it is often flavored with orange blossom water, rose water, syrups, mint, or orange. When the ingredients are combined, the mix needs to rest for several hours in a warm place.
The texture of this yogurt can vary, from soft to firm, but it should always be served well-chilled. Raib is usually homemade, but it is also available at the local markets and mahlaba stores that typically sell dairy products and pastries. It is enjoyed as a dessert, and it is also commonly eaten for iftar or suhur (the meal consumed early in the morning before fasting).
Seffa is a traditional dish that is typically reserved for celebrations and festivities. It consists of either vermicelli noodles or couscous combined with a savory-sweet onion sauce and a topping of icing sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and ground almonds.
It is not unusual to see pieces of chicken in the dish, as there are a number of variations on seffa. The dish is quite easy to prepare, and it is usually served as a side dish. It is recommended to pair seffa with a glass of warm milk.
MOST ICONIC Seffa
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