Key Ingredients in Moroccan Cuisine

Key Ingredients in Moroccan Cuisine

Moroccan cuisine is rich in spices, only natural when you consider the ages-old spice trade from Arabia to North Africa. Spices here are used to enhance, not mask, the flavor of food. The following spices are among the most commonly used.

cinnamon
found in bisteeya, couscous and many desserts
cumin
ground cumin is among the most flavorful spices used and is common in meats, lamb and chicken
turmeric
always found in harira soup, a rich, hearty soup which is the evening meal during Ramadan
ginger
found in many tagines (stews)
cayenne
popular in the dishes of southern Morocco
paprika
usually in tomato dishes and vegetable tagines
anise seed
found in breads and cookies
sesame seed
used in breads, desserts and as a garnish for savory dishes saffron
black pepper
Spices found with less frequency in Moroccan cuisine include allspice, caraway, cloves, coriander seeds and licorice. Ras el hanout is a mixture of many spices (often 20 to 30) which is used to flavor dishes as well.


Herbs also play an important role in Moroccan food, chief among them the following:

parsley
a liberal sprinkling is used in tagines
green coriander
the leaves, not the seeds, are often used in tagines to give them a unique flavor
marjoram, grey verbena and mint
often used in teas
fragrant waters
orange flower water and rosewater are used in cakes, sweets, tagines and salads
basil

The Moroccan table also makes good use of the following ingredients:

onions
Spanish onions are popular
garlic
often used in honey dishes to balance the flavor
lemons
especially pickled lemons
eggs
a very popular element; curdled eggs are used in bisteeya, while vegetables and chicken are often coated with eggs
honey
used in glazed dishes, desserts, poultry stuffings and tagines
couscous
the grain as well as the dish is ubiquitous
chick-peas
used in hummus, couscous dishes and tagines
bread
heavier Arab bread and the lighter pita bread are both edible and functional when eating with the fingers
olives
buttermilk

The cuisine in Morocco

The cuisine in Morocco is as varied as the country’s landscape, in part due to numerous culinary influences such as Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, Senegal, Turkey and the Berbers. Morocco imports very little food, so its Mediterranean spread of fruits and vegetables tend to be locally grown and fresh. Much of the country’s livestock is free range—picture cattle meandering in the mountains and valleys—resulting in fresh, flavorful meat.

Although each region is known for its unique flavors and dishes, meals throughout the country commonly feature meats with veggies and are often spiced with cumin, cinnamon, saffron and paprika. This bouquet of flavors is woven into Morocco’s breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.

Cuisine In Morocco

Morocco is rated amongst the best in the world for its cuisine. Here we give you a taste of the wealth of Moroccan flavours that await you.


For Moroccans, a special meal means extensive preparation: a banquet for important guests may take a week to prepare and is overseen by the host and his sons with no women being present. The men squat on cushions around low, artistically laid tables and a silver ewer of perfumed water is taken around and poured over three fingers of the right hand of each guest before the meal starts and on finishing. There may be up to 50 different courses.

Usually it is the ladies of the house who cook the meals and they spend hours in the preparation. Again, there are no chairs but rolled carpets or cushions that serve as seats. The ladies dress in long colourful robes.

Every household in Morocco makes their own bread which is made from semolina flour. When the bread has been kneaded and shaped each family puts its own mark on it before sending it to the bakery for cooking.

A typical family meal starts with Bstilla which is a crisp pastry, rolled until it is extremely thin and filled with chicken in a mixture of a sweet and peppery sauce.

Next comes a typical brochette or kebab which is flavoured with beef or lamb fat. Following would be a Tajine which is chicken or a meat in a spicy stew which had been simmering for hours and served with bread. Next comes a course of Batinjaan, an eggplant or tomato salad.

Couscous, the national dish of Morocco, would then be served with meat and vegetables followed by slices of melon or fruit and pastries made with honey and almonds. Mint tea is then served at the end of the meal.

Key Ingredients in Moroccan Cuisine

Moroccan cuisine is rich in spices which only natural when you consider the spice trade from Arabia to North Africa. Spices here are used to enhance and not mask the flavour of food. The following spices are among the most commonly used.
Cinnamon – which is found in Bisteeya, Couscous and many desserts

Cumin - ground cumin is among the most highly flavoured spice used and is common in meats, lamb and chicken
Turmeric - always found in Harira soup which is a soup drunk for the evening meal during Ramadan
Ginger - found in many stews
Paprika - usually in tomato and vegetable dishes
Anise seed - found in breads and cookies
Sesame seed - used in breads and desserts

Traditional moroccan