Food Union volume four
the Moroccan issue
Food Union is an online magazine that focuses on ingredient profiles, recipes and photographic essays all surrounding the topic of food. To view previous issues please visit my website:
Meet the maker
Food Union Volume I Food Union Volume II: The Gather, Garden, Grow Issue Food Union Volume III: Tutto Italiano Haley Polinsky is a Saskatchewan born, Torontobased food stylist and artist. She holds a diploma in the Culinary Arts from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver and is a self taught artist working in a variety of mediums from relief printmaking, illustration, watercolour and photography. Haley is available for food styling, recipe testing, and customized illustrations or prints. All content in Food Union was created and produced by Haley. To see more of her work or purchase prints please visit: www. haleypolinsky.com @haleythemaker For all feedback and inquiries contact me at: hello@haleypolinsky.com
Favourite Moroccan meal: Harira Favourite market: R’cif
Haley Polinsky Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. You may not take any images or content from this publication without written permission.
Favourite Moroccan food: Amlou or olives with harissa Favourite arabic word: Saha
enter the medina
index 06 Editor’s note 08 Bread 18 Flatbread 20 Market tour 48 Street Food 64 Maakouda 66 Chicken 76 B’stilla 88 Meat 110 Kefta Tagine 112 Spices 118 Tangier Fish Market 138 Charmoula Stuffed Sardines 140 Rabat 166 Sweets 174 Donuts 177 Herbs
editor's note Before I went to Morocco, I read in a guidebook that the country is an assault on the senses. After spending three months in this vibrant country, I can attest that it is an accurate description.
I remember arriving at Marrakech airport straight from Milan, the fashion capital of the world, to find myself outside the airport, trying to figure out which of the circle of cab drivers yelling at each other would drive me to my hostel. The fifteen minute drive to the medina was like nothing I had ever experienced before, a desert landscape, cars weaving in and out with bicycles, motorcycles and donkeys in between. I entered the medina and immediately the spices and herbs hit me and infiltrated my world - I smelled coriander, cumin, rose petals, orange blossoms and more. My eyes took in the almost medieval like sights of the medina of donkeys carrying vegetables to the markets and my ears were adjusted to the sounds Darija - (Moroccan Arabic). Soon my lips tasted my first sip of the overpoweringly strong and sweet mint tea and warm soothing, tender tagine.
I had no idea when I booked my first trip to Europe that I would also travel to Morocco for two weeks and from that trip I would return eight months later to run a restaurant in the ancient medina of Fez for three months.
I was drawn to Morocco by the opportunity to work with the Paris Pop Up, which is a travelling chef and sommelier couple, Harry Cummins and Laura Vidal. I had been researching European pop up restaurants as I figured out how to do my own food pop ups and connect with like minded people. Harry and Laura were looking for help with their own chef residency. I jumped at the chance and they let me work with them for a few days at the end of January 2015. This led me to the opportunity to return to Fez to complete my own residency at the restaurant from November 2015 to January 2016. Now that I am back in Toronto, some of the things I miss from the medina are the everyday scenes that seemed so strange, and startling, at first: the constant stream of kids running through the medina, no
parents in sight, kicking soccer balls in the tiny alleyways, playing with fire and constantly chattering amongst themselves. Men holding live chickens in their hands as they go from vendor to vendor seeking who would like a fresh chicken for dinner that day. The important calls of “Balak! Andak!” meaning “Careful! Attention!”, as the donkeys plowed through the narrow streets carrying loads coca-cola, water, and natural gas containers.
Since I was based in Fez for my three months, most of my experiences and photos that I am sharing with you come from this city. There are certainly many other kinds of Moroccan life, just as there are in any other country, and every city we visited we noticed distinct changes between them.
I hope this fourth issue of Food Union inspires you to travel to Morocco to witness the daily life of the locals and the colours of all the cities. And if you can’t get there physically, I hope this issue inspires you to get into the kitchen, and travel through the power of food with dishes like beef kefta meatball tagine, spicy potato cakes and ten cent sugar donuts.
In my research for this issue, I found conflicting information on the cuisine of Morocco. For example, there are varying claims of the number of spices in the Ras el Hanout spice mix, though most people agree on the core spices. I realized that it is only natural as cooking is about a feeling, not a prescriptive set of directions. No dish turns out the same even if you follow the same recipe as ingredients vary from cupboard to cupboard, as well as our personal interpretations of instructions. I encourage you to make the recipes once, and then make them again, altering it to your preferences and mood.
Thank-you for reading. Your kinds words and support are part of the reason why I keep making this. Schrukan bisef.
A local baker works in the Fez medina.
There is no hunger but the hunger of wheat. - Moroccan proverb
B R E AD
the cornerstone of Moroccan cuisine There is no better place to start than the bakery when talking about the cuisine of Morocco. Bread is called khobz or kessra in Morrocan Arabic. It is the common denominator among many cuisines like Italian, French and Spanish,etc. Bread is the keystone to all Moroccan meals, and is more commonly used as an utensil than a fork. Bread has great significance in Morocco, the word even means the same as life. It is a sacred food, so much so that bread is only ripped apart by hands, as cutting the bread with a knife is considered too violent of an act. Bread is never allowed to be thrown in the garbage (if it is it will be met with a look of horror from Moroccans), you will see bags and upon bags piled up at bakeries full of old bread, that will be taken out to farms for animals to eat. There is no waste in Moroccan culture; what isn’t eaten by humans is eaten by the animals (you can see the evidence of this by the many plump street cats). The local bakeries open each day around five am and close twelve hours later. The bakeries are heated by wood fire, one person operates the oven, standing in front of the hot fire all day with a large wooden paddle, moving the bread in, around and out, while the others are mixing, kneading, shaping the dough and packaging the bread to be delivered after they are baked. There is a bakery in each neighbourhood of the medina. In Fez there are over 500 local bakeries. The bakeries mostly produce bread for the local stores, as well also bake sweet breads and pastries. Bread costs one dirham each, equaling to approximately ten cents. Home ovens are still rare in medina homes, so the locals, take their bread to be baked at their local bakery in their neighbourhood. While it is the women at home that make the bread, it is the kids that are usually in charge of bringing the bread to be baked, you will see kids walking with a wooden board above their head carrying their mother’s proofed loaf covered with a dish towel. Each family has a different marking on top of the bread to identify their bread. The most common type of Moroccan bread is round discs about six inches in diameter, and one inch high, you can get white or whole wheat but most people buy white bread these days. While you can find bakeries in every corner of the medina you will also see bread carts found all over as well. Bread is consumed with almost all meals in Morocco accomponied with local olive or argan oil. There are many different types of yeasted breads that can be found at the bakery. No meal is complete without bread.
The morning hours in a local bakery, two young men rolling out one of the five hundred rounds of bread they will bake that day.
Rghayif
Flatbread stuffed with spiced caramelized onions While there are so many types of breads for sale on the street, most of them are plain and can be topped with honey, goat cheese, olive oil, or amlou. Rghayif was one of my favourite afternoon snacks when I was craving something savoury. I first discovered this flatbread on the streets of Marrakech and fell in love with it immediately. A simple pan fried flatbread filled with spiced caramelized onions. This bread can be made without the onion filling and enjoyed with honey and goat cheese or plain. Filling:
Dough:
1 large onion, very finely diced
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp red chilli flakes
1 tsp dry active yeast
1 tsp freshly toasted, coarsely crushed cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
3/4 cup warm water
Salt, to taste Cilantro, a handful, finely chopped
In a large frying pan soften diced onions in olive oil over medium to medium low heat, season with salt - do not brown. Once onions are quite soft - about ten minutes, add spices, continue cooking to cook out rawness of spices, about three minutes, adding a bit of water if the mixture is too dry. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Once cool mix in choppped cilantro. In a small bowl whisk together warm water and yeast, let sit and bubble for 10 minutes. In a large bowl add flour and salt, with a wooden spoon begin to mix in yeast and water mixture, stir until combined and then transfer to a countertop and knead lightly until it comes together in a nice, smooth, elastic ball. Pinch of pieces of the dough into about 8 to 10 balls. Set on a tray, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. Preheat a cast iron skillet or grill over high heat until smoking. With a rolling pin, roll out one dough at a time as thin as possible without tearing, place a small amount of the onion mixture in the middle leaving a 1/2 inch border of dough and spread with an offset spatula or your fingers , fold dough lengthwise and then widthwise into the middle to seal it shut. Once the pan is hot add dough that has been lightly brushed with oil, let dough brown and even blacken a bit. Repeat with remaining balls of dough. The flatbreads are best eaten hot.
MARKET The next stop in the morning for the locals after the bakery is a trip to the market to gather ingredients to cook. While living in Morocco we went to the maket each day to gather our ingredients for the restaurant. The markets are open every day with the exception of Friday when things are rather quiet in the medina for their holy day, Jumu’ah. The markets were my favourite place to wander and people watch; full of life, colour and spirit. As a foreigner the prices start off high but as the vendors gradually recognize you and a relationship begins to build, the prices continue to fall. It is all a bargaining game in Morocco. Micro seasonal is the best way to describe the food scene here. What is fresh and abundant today certainly will not be around tomorrow. We learnt not to hesistate if we wanted we something as it was most likely to never be found again. What Morocco lacks in variety, they make up in quantity, while you are unlikely to find special varieties of lettuce or any heirloom vegetables, you will find mountains upon mountains of produce. I spent all my time in Morocco during the winter so there were always overflowing piles of fava beans, oranges and pomegranates. The market colours are vivid with pomegranates that have been cracked open to expose the fuschia jewels inside, bright oranges protecting their juicy segments and peas and favas, green and tender.
Piles upon piles of fresh produce being bargained for by the locals, prices are always negotiable.
Morning delivery to R’cif market in Fez.
Cardoons are a popular winter vegetable in Morocco. The cardoon is a relative to the artichoke but it does not produce the edible flower. The tough outer skin needs to be removed before cooking, which is a bit of a labour intensive task. You can buy bags of prepared cardoons, that market vendors have cleaned as a way to pass time, in plastic bags of acidulated water. Cardoons are very bitter raw and are most often used in tagines.
Morocco loves olives and good thing as they produce the second largest amount of table olives in the world. The olive colours range from dark shiny black to green and purple. They can purchased plain or can be seasoned with harissa, herbs and preserved lemon. If you visit Morocco in the winter you are likely to find fresh olives all over the markets where locals purchase and brine their own olives for home. Note: do not buy these olives for snacking; olives are cured for a reason, a raw olive is so incredibly bitter they are completely inedible (this was taste tested).
This is Muhhamad, he has the most beautifully organized produce stand at the Bab Boujloud market in Fez. He was friendly to us right from the start and even though we did not speak a shared language that didn’t stop us from having a conversation. On one of my last days in Fez, as I passed by his stand, he insisted that I stay a minute and share some of Morocco’s ‘whiskey’ (mint tea) with him. It was a daily joy to witness how much pride Muhhamed took in his stand, the care he put into arranging all the vegetables in their impeccable order.
This is Hisham, who has a spot at the Bab Bjouloud market. Once I started shopping at Hisham’s produce stand, we quickly became friends. He always saved me his best produce and always offered to share some of his tagine lunch.
MOROCCAN STREET FOOD A taste of home cooking found on the streets of Morocco
A local street vendor braising a whole camel head that will be shredded and served with vermicelli noodles.
Without a doubt the signature dish of Morocco is the tangine - a braised meat and vegetable dish cooked for many hours in a clay pot - but there is so much more to Moroccan cuisine. The best place to get started is in the markets finding the vendors who have their own speciality, that they make day in and day out. In Marrakesh, Jame‘ el Fna is one of the most captivating places to enjoy a Morrocan meal. It is more than just a meal, it is a performance that unfolds each night as the sun begins to set and the vendors set up their tables with elaborate decorations displaying all the options of skewers, vegetables, fried fish and more. Every vendor tries to lure you in with offers of free mint tea and trying out English catch phrases such as “The food is bloody good here”. A dish to start off the evening could be Babbouche, a bowl of steamed snails in a spiced broth, eaten with a toothpick pulling the snail meat out one by one and then drinking the broth straight from the bowl. I always opted for street food over a restaurant because it was more than just tagines, it was simple meals that the locals would eat. My favourite meal was a few fried charmoula sardines, fried eggplant, braised beans in a tomato sauce, olives and bread. In Morocco the street food scene is dominated by men with the exception of some jobs like making warqa, a Moroccan version of phyllo pastry which is more commonly made by women. The street meals tend to be quite protein focused with different kinds of meat and different cuts from the head to the spleen. But there are also many bean based dishes like the dried fava bean soup called bessara, or harira - a lentil and chickpea soup or a popular sandwich of a white baguette stuffed with cooked chickpeas.
From the top left and clockwise: Spicy potatoe cakes, fried charmoula sardines, fried liver and fries, braised camel neck and vermicelli noodles.
Tripe stew with beans.
A steaming pile of snails for Babbouche
Street kitchen set-up in Marrachech.
Bessara
Dried Fava Bean Soup The worker’s breakfast soup. A filling, budget friendly fava bean soup to start your work day. I loved going to these hole in the wall Bessara vendors, where the owner of the stand would stand all day stirring his huge aluminum pot of soup. The vendors start each day making a big pot and sell bowls of the soup until they run out and then return the next morning to make another big batch all over again. 1 pound dried fava beans 8 cups water Kosher salt to taste 5 garlic cloves, minced 2 tbsp olive oil ½ teaspoon paprika 2 teaspoons cumin Cayenne pepper, optional Soak the beans in a large bowl of cold water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain and peel the tough, leathery outer layer skin of the favas off and transfer to a large pot cover with 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and skim any foam that rises to the top, cook for approximately 2 hours, until the beans are very soft. Add the salt halfway through the cooking process. Puree in a blender, or with an immersion blender, adding only a bit of the cooking liquid, keeping it a thick-ish consistency and return to the pot. Thin out with more cooking liquid if needed. Fry the minced garlic in two tablespoons of the olive oil until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the paprika and cumin. Add to the pureed soup and simmer for 30 minutes longer, adding more water if the soup becomes too thick. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of cumin and cayenne pepper if desired.
A street vendor in the Rabat medina.
Maakouda Spicy Potato Cakes I was hooked on these potato cakes from my first trip to Morocco and tried to remake them following a recipe found online but it came out nothing like the ones found in Fez. When I returned to Morocco I had a mission to learn how to make these from a local and my wish came true. I spent the afternoon at a local homemaker’s named Sonad learning from her and her sister, Latifa. While these potato cakes are most often found at the street markets they are also often prepared at home for kid’s lunches. Potato cakes:
Batter:
1 kilo potatoes, washed 7 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp active yeast
2 tsp paprika
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp saffron colouring
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
or a few drops of yellow food colouring
2 tsp harissa paste
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
Water, enough to make a thick batter
1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped Salt, to taste Boil potatoes in a large pot of salted water with their skin on until tender when pierced with a paring knife. Remove from pot, peel off their jackets while still hot, mash with potato masher in a large bowl. Mix potatoes with spices,herbs and salt, adjust seasonings to your preference. Form mixture into small disks, approximately 2 tbsp of mix per disk. Place on a parchment lined tray in the fridge until cool. Meanwhile in a large bowl make the batter, add the dry ingredients and then whisk in vinegar and water and whisk until it becomes a thick batter. Cover with plastic wrap, set aside. When the potato discs have completely cooled, heat a large deep frying pan or pot over medium high heat, add vegetable oil, heat until when you place a small amount of batter it begans to bubble and bounce. When oil is ready, dip potato disks into prepared batter with fork, coating the disc on all sides, place in hot oil, fry on both sides until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined tray to absorb excess oil. Best eaten hot but can be cooled and reheated if necessary. Optional, serve with a tomato salsa made of green olives, vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper.
CHICKEN
Fresh chicken takes on a whole other meaning in Morocco. It’s not uncommon to see men or women walking around with live chickens hanging by their feet in each hand or around their neck and down their back. When you go to purchase a chicken - to say it is fresh is an understatement. You choose your live chicken out of the flock that are milling behind and around the shop. Then the butcher weighs the chicken. You can choose to watch the butcher process your chicken into a more familiar cooking form or go about your shopping, as he slaughters your chicken in less than ten minutes. With a prayer said, the butcher makes a quick slit to the throat, and the chicken is transfered to the sink for the blood to drain for a few minutes. Then the butcher plucks the chicken at a lightning speed, which is built upon years of daily plucking, pulls out the guts, gives it a quick rinse and your chicken is placed in a plastic bag and passed over to you, still warm.
Of course with chickens, comes eggs. It’s a bit funny that when buying produce the vendor will tell you it’s all the same when picking out which particular vegetable or piece of fruit you would like. But when it comes to eggs, each egg is hand picked and inspected, it is sort of a performance.
B’STILLA
a visual guide to making the the sweet & savoury pie of Fez
B’stilla Sweet & savoury pigeon pie from Fez B’stilla or also commonly known as pastilla, is a dish that originates from Fez. This sweet yet savoury pies is one of those dishes that when you first hear of it, you are not sure if that it will taste good but are still intrigued to try it. B’stilla is made of braised pigeon, icing sugar, almonds and cinnamon encased inside a phyllo type pastry dough creating the perfect blend of sweet and savoury. It is a dish that is normally reserved for weddings and special occasions. The traditional version is always made with pigeon but these days it is more commonly made with chicken. It is a labour intensive dish that requires many hands to ease the process. 2 kg onion, large dice
2 litres water
6 garlic cloves, minced
10 pigeons or 1 small chicken, cut into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 kilo raw almonds
1 tbsp tumeric
2 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp ginger
5 tbsp cinnamon, divided
1 tsp saffron colouring
12 eggs
Vegetable oil, plus more for brushing warqa
1 kilo fresh warqa (Morocco’s version of phyllo pastry, which can exchanged)
1 cup parsley, roughly chopped 1 cup chopped cilantro
Icing sugar, for dusting
In a large dutch oven, over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp of oil and sear chicken pieces until golden brown, remove from pan. Add another tbsp of oil and then add onions, garlic, black pepper, tumeric, ginger, saffron colouring, cook until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Return chicken to pot, add two litres of water, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and let cook until chicken is tender, approximately one hour. Remove chicken with slotted spoon, keep cooking onion/spice mixture and reducing liquid to half at a gentle simmer. Add almonds to a medium sized pot, fill with water, boil until skins are loosened, approximately ten minutes, strain, peel off skin while still hot. Dry almonds with paper towel. Heat a large frying pan with vegetable oil over medium to medium high heat, fry almonds until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined tray. Once almonds are cool, pulse in a food processor until a fine crumble, mix in one cup sugar and one tbsp ground cinnamon. Once the chicken has cooled , pick and shred the meat off the carcass, discard bones and skin. Mix with two tbsp cinnamon and half a cup icing sugar.
Once the liquid with the onions has reduced to a quarter of it’s original amount, add a cup of granulated sugar and two tbsp cinnamon. Crack eggs in a large bowl, begin to add eggs to pot with liquid gently simmering, three at a time, constantly stirring to incorporate before adding the next three. Cook until mixture has thickened, approximately five minutes. Transfer to a large dish and let cool completely. Preheat oven to 400° F. Prepare a large round baking sheet with parchment paper. Start by laying out warqa in a flower pattern , overlapping the middle and going over the edges of the pan. Brush each layer with vegetable oil. Place onion/egg mixture first, then shredded pigeon and lastly to with the almond crumb mixture. Fold over the edges of the warqa to cover the top and add a couple more sheets to cover completely if necessary. Brush all over with vegetable oil, bake for approximately 40 minutes to one hour until pastry has been golden brown and flaky. Let cool, slightly, dust with more icing sugar and cinnamon. B’stilla is best enjoyed hot at a big table surrounded by family and friends.
Warqa A live show that goes on everyday in the medina is the performance of warqa, a Moroccan version of phyllo pastry, being made. Warqa is a paper thin pastry sheet, made by smearing a sticky dough on top of a hot cast iron griddle, it cooks very quickly taking about fifteen seconds per sheet.
Special thanks to Plan-It Fez for arranging this cooking class. Please visit their website at: http://www.plan-it-fez.com/
ME
AT
I was most attracted to the meat counters in the markets. I love how primal they still are. Everything comes whole with fur, hooves and all.
No land without stones, no meat without bones. - Moroccan proverb
This photo reminds me of one of those many moments that I experienced in Morocco of seeing the perfect photo in front of me but not being able to capture it, whether it was fear of offending someone, invading someone’s privacy or simply not fast enough with the click of my shutter. This photo falls in the category of simply not being quick enough. It was about six pm in the Fez medina and it had just started to get dark, which gives the medina an even more claustrophobic feel on the streets, the noises grow louder, the women seem to disappear and it’s just men left hanging out. The butcher had a big axe in his hand and was just about the drop the axe in the centre of this cow’s head.
Nothing is hidden in Morocco, everything is right in front your eyes, when it comes to meat. No neatly packaged ground beef in styrofoam, you have to confront the fact that you are eating a once live animal, that had eyes, tongue, ears, hair. You don’t even have to imagine what that looks like as the chickens, turkeys, ducks are alive wandering around, waiting to be chosen. My favourite vendors were the ones that didn’t even have a stand, they would simply just set up a table, pull out their whole cow’s head, fur and everything and just start butchering away while they wait for the customers.
Mergeuz A typical type of North African sausage made with beef or lamb or a blend of both seasoned with harissa, paprika and other spices giving it’s deep red colour.
Tagine. A dish to gather around and share. One plate for a table for as many hungry mouths as there are. Dip in a bread, repeat.
Mkaoura - Kefta Meatball Tagine in Tomato Sauce with Poached Eggs Tagine is probably the dish most people associate with Moroccan cuisine. This kefta tagine is probably not the image you would conjure in your mind when thinking of tagine but this is my favourite. It is also a bit simpler and can be made much quicker than most tagines which often require a few hours of cooking. Meatballs: 600 grams ground beef 1 small onion, grated (add onion juice) 2 garlic cloves, grated on microplane 3/4 tsp ground cumin 3/4 tsp sweet paprika 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro 1 tbsp finely chopped mint Salt Freshly ground black pepper Olive oil
Sauce: 250 grams can peeled whole plum tomatoes 1 tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp sweet paprika 4 large eggs
In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs, season with salt and pepper. Cook a small amount of the meatball to test the seasoning, adjust accordingly to your preference. Roll into small meatballs about the size of a golf ball. In a medium sized cast iron skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil over high heat, once hot (almost smoking), add meatballs and sear and carmelize on all sides. Remove meatballs from the pan and transfer to a plate; the meatballs do not need to be cooked through as they will be added to the sauce to finish cooking. Add tomatoes to a bowl with high sides and gently break done tomatoes with an immersion blender, it does not need to be completely pureed. With the fat leftover from cooking the meatballs, add olive oil to the pan, minced garlic, spices, cook out for a few minutes over medium heat, add tomatoes and let bubble away, reducing for approximately 15 minutes. Return the meatballs to the pan, cover with a lid or tin foil and let cook until meatballs are cooked through, approciamtely 20 minutes. Remove lid, taste sauce and adjust salt and seasonings to your preference. Once almost ready to serve with the sauce gently bubbling, crack in four eggs (one egg per person). Cover and cook until eggs set, about five minutes. Serve immediately with arabic bread.
THE SPIC
CE OF LIFE
You can’t talk about Morocoo without talking about spices. All over you will find spice shops with heaping mounds of fresh and very fragrant spices. It is truly a different experiement for North Americans who are most commonly familiar with the spices sold in jars and plastic bags that lost their fragrance and zest long ago and for all we know could have been sitting on the grocery store shelves for years. The spice shopkeepers were possibly the friendliest of all the vendors, inviting you to come in to smell and taste while they list all the medicinal properties. When going to buy spices be prepared to have some time to spare. These are the most commonly used spices. Ras el Hanout Ras el Hanout is Morocco’s everything spice, made up of approximately 40 or so different spices, give or take as it varies from shopkeeper to shopkeeper, with each one claiming they have the best secret mix.. Each shop will have a different mix but the general spices included are cumin, coriander, ginger, tumeric, black pepper, paprika, cardamom, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and rose petals. It is used to season protein or vegetables or for a modern twist could be used in sweet dishes like spiced marshmallows or carrot cake. Cumin We were told by one of our Moroccan friends to take a tsp of ground cumin when we have a headache. Coriander One of the world’s oldest spices dating back to 7000 BCE. Coriander is the seed of the cilantro plant. Most commonly used to treat digestive ills. Cinnamon It can help control blood sugar levels and has the ability to fight some bacteria and funghi, keeping your food safer. It is very commonly used in meat tagines in Morocco. Tumeric The active ingredient in tumeric giving it so many of its medicinal qualities is curcumin, a compound rich in antioxidant and antibacterial powers that are beneficial to every organ in the body. Saffron The most expensive spice in the world. The high prices comes from the fact that this spice is hand picked and very delicate, it is the stigma of the blue crocus flower. Saffron is most known for its uplifting gift, the two compounds found in saffron crocin and safranal protect many brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine that improve and steady good moods.
TANGIER FI
SH MARKET
Tangier, a port city located of the Maghreb coastline at the western entrance of the Gilbraltar Strait that meets the Mediterranean Sea offering the most varied seafood in all of Morocco. It’s loud, it’s gritty, a room full of men standing in a cold, wet room butchering fish and yelling prices to compete with their neighbour.
Charmoula cilantro, paprika, garlic, cumin, chili flakes, lemon juice and salt
Charmoula Sardines Charmoula marinated fried sardines A staple in Moroccan street food. This recipe can be made with a variety of small fish but is most commonly made with sardines. The marinade can also be used for vegetables and meats. Charmoula: 5 garlic cloves, crushed 1 small onion, thinly sliced 100 grams fresh coriander, finely chopped 1/2 tsp paprika 1 tsp cumin 1/4 tsp dried chillis 6 tbsp olive oil Juice of 2 lemons 2 lbs fresh sardines, with head removed and butterflied Canola oil, for frying Flour, for coating Stuff the fish with the charmoula mixture and let marinate for at least two hurs in the refrigertor overnight. In a large high sided cast iron skilllet, heat oil over medium high heat until it reaches 350 degrees farenheit or until the handle of a wooden spoon is inserted and the oil starts to bubble immediately. Dip sardines one at a time into flour, dredging boths sides, gently place in oil, fry until golden brown, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with a little salt. Eat hot.
RABAT
SWEET
SWEET
SUG A R Morocco’s addiction to sugar.
To say that Moroccan’s have a sweet tooth is an understatement. A Moroccan feast is simply not complete without sweets. Sweets come in all forms, many French style pasties influenced from their time spent ruling Morocco and then more Arab style sweets made with phyllo pastry and soaked in honey or sugar syrups flavoured with orange blossom water or rose petals. A lot of desserts are also nut based with almonds, pistachios, walnuts and, of course, dried fruit are popular with stands selling all kinds of varieties of dried dates, figs and apricots. Like many developing countries Morocco is slowly losing its more balanced Mediterranean diet of vegetables and whole grain foods, and is consuming more white flour and high sugar goods. While it is nice to enjoy a taste of sweetness, sugar has become a major problem in Morocco, with a huge increase in diabetes, with approximately one and a half million people diagnosed and the number is expected to double by 2030. Part of the problem is sugar, oil and flour are subsidized by the government making it an easy option to feed families and without proper education on a healthy diet.
Halwa Chebakia This Moroccan honey coated fried biscuit is most commonly eaten during Ramadan to breakfast but it can be found in bakeries all year round.
The Donut King of Fez Youseff has a small hole-in-the-wall stand around the corner from the restaurant where I completed my residency.. The first time that you buy a donut from Youseff it costs you 10 dirhams (one euro) and then after he notices you around a few more times, it goes down to the local price of 1 dirham. Youseff is smart and has signs for the tourists up saying Donuts - 10 dirhams. Youseff is an entrepreneur choosing his own hours, there is no rhyme or reason to the hours he chooses to be open, I just always hoped that he would be around when my donut craving hit me. Normally he opens for a few fours in the morning time frying all the dough that he has until he runs out. Then he closes the doors and leaves for a few hours to return in the evening to a new rising dough and another round of donuts. If you purchase a few donuts Youseff with tie them onto a string for easier carrying (and much more environmentally friendly than a cardboard box).It was one of my favourite sights was seeing people of all ages carry a string full of donuts through the medina.
S fenj Yeasted Sugar Donuts While these donuts are simple, do not expect to master the donuts as Youseff does everyday, it is an art. The dough is super wet, loose and sticky. It is tricky to work with and takes skill. I recommend making donut balls the first time if you are unable to make the donut shape, they still taste equally as good. For a traditional Moroccan delivery of donuts, tie them on to a string and deliver them to a friend. I served these at a pop up Moroccan Dinner in Rome after my time spent in Morocco, when I was serving a guest and told her they were called Sfinge, who has Sicilian roots, she quickly put the similiarity together as Sicily has a very similiar donut called Sfince, a true sign of the Arab influence on Sicilian cuisine. 300 grams flour 1 tsp salt 2 tsp dried yeast 250 ml tepid water Vegetable or canola oil. for frying Granulated sugar, for coating In a large bowl add flour and stir in salt and yeast. Gradually add 250 ml of tepid water, stirring with a wooden spoon until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and a clean dish cloth and leave to rest in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours until the dough is 3 or 4 times its original size. In large pot, add a couple litres of oil or until the oil is half way up the sides of the pot, heat to 350 degrees or if you do not have a thermometer, my favourite trick to test if the oil is ready, is to dip the the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil, when it bubbles immediatly it is ready. Once the oil is hot, with your hands pick up a handful of dough and carefully try to make a donut shape or drop balls of dough into the hot oil. Fry on both sides until golden brown, approximately three minutes, remove with with a spider utensil, transfer to a paper towel lined tray, to soak up a bit of the oil and then immediatly to a bowl full of granulated sugar. The donuts are best eaten hot. This recipes doubles really easily but the dough rises quite high, so either divide the dough into two seperate bowls or use your largest bowl on hand.
MINT TEA
The most popular beverage that is offered wherever you go.
HERBS Herbs are bountiful in Morocco and there are carts all over selling bunches and bunches of mint, parsley, cilantro, and smaller amounts of rosemary, sage, oregano, marjoram, rose-scented geranium for one dirham each. Moroccans understand how much herbs can brighten dishes and contribute flavour, they are the base to all marinades and sauces like charmoula. But Moroccans classify their herbs in two categories: one for cooking and one for medicinal so you fill not find fresh basil along with the other herbs at the market you have to look at the natural health stores as it is considered medicinal herb and is not traditionally used in Moroccan cuisine. The most popular herb is mint. While it is used in cooking, the majority of it is used for tea. Mint tea is more than just a beverage in Morocco: it is a gesture, a ritual, offered at all times before and after dinner and anytime in between. There is no real need for a formal recipe as it is all up to your personal preference but add a handful of whole fresh mint leaves to a teapot well as a teaspoon of green tea powder called gunpowder. Sweeten with sugar or honey, Moroccans prefer their tea on the sweet side, most foreigners find it overwhelmingly sweet. Sugar is a sign of richness so it more so for the symbolic meaning than the actual sweetness. So if you are served a very sweet glass of mint tea at a friend’s house they are trying to express their gratitude for your friendship and to share their wealth with you. Mint tea is drank in the summer to keep cool. While in the winter it is common to drink tea of fresh wormwood (absinthe) as it supposed to keep you warm. There are tea vendors all over each city. While coffee is a really close second to tea, you will also see large groups of men out at cafes drinking dark espressos at all hours of the day as well. One of my favourite sights was seeing tea vendors at parks or beaches where you will find them walking around with a large kettle, ready to pour.
Wormwood is part of the artemesia family and is the herb that is used to make absinthe. Known for it’s slightly bitter flavour it is great for adding to cocktails to balance acidity and sweetness. While mint tea is without a doubt the choice of drink for the majority of Moroccans, wormwood tea or called sheba in Darija is the preferred choice in the winter as mint tea is meant to cool and sheba warms your body.
@haleythemaker www.haleypolinsky.com