Did you know that Morocco’s geography is incredibly diverse? While they’re known for their stunning beaches and vast deserts, Morocco is also home to mountain ranges, lush forests, rivers, lakes, and so much more.
And just like their geography, Morocco uses a ton of awesome spices for their dishes, making Moroccan cuisine one of the tastiest cuisines around. It’s also one of the healthiest as their meals are the perfect blend of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fruits and vegetables.
So, if you’re interested in dishes that are both healthy and yummy, dabble in some Moroccan cuisine with the dishes below!
1. Couscous
Couscous may look like rice, but it’s actually more of pasta! Also called seksu, this carbohydrate-packed delight is traditionally rolled by hand and works well with just about any dish. Because it’s so small, it takes less than ten minutes to cook, and you won’t even have to put it on the stove for the most part! Just boil your flavored broth and pour it over the couscous to cook it.
Couscous is usually served with meats and vegetables. In Morocco, meat is piled with lots of couscous, and the vegetables are pressed onto the sides of the dish. It is then garnished with raisins and a sauce made of buttermilk.
2. B’Stilla
B’stilla, pronounced pas-tee-yah, is a Moroccan pie dish that’s a staple in festivities. It’s a savory pie that’s typically made with pigeon or squab, though you can easily substitute it with chicken if you don’t have that available in your area.
The crust is made of a thin, papery crust called phyllo that’s extremely golden, crisp, and buttery. It encases the entire pie and is also found between the layers of meat, eggs, and almonds that are seasoned with coriander, saffron, cinnamon, and more.
As you might have already noticed, a lot of work goes into making b’stilla, which is why it’s reserved for fancy celebrations only. It’s sprinkled with a light dusting of icing sugar and cinnamon to really seal the deal on one of the most fantastic dishes in Morocco.
3. Tagine
Tagine doesn’t actually refer to the dish itself, but rather the clay pot that it’s cooked in. The fascinating-looking top half of the tagine looks conical, while the bottom half is wide and flat. When combined, they form a sort of teardrop shape that’s designed to return all condensation to the bottom of the tagine when cooking something.
This makes it useful for people with limited access to water. Instead of using more water to keep the stew inside nice and glossy, you can just use the same water over and over again. This then makes it more flavorful and tastier.
4. Bissara
Bissara is technically a soup, but it’s so thick that it can also function as a dip! It’s typically served with slices of fresh bread that’s wonderful to eat with. It’s a breakfast dish that’s well-loved all over Morocco because of its affordability. Because of this, it’s often called the pauper’s dish.
This dish is made of dried broad beans that have been pureed with immune-healthy garlic, lemon juice, red pepper, and cumin before being drizzled with some olive oil. Broad beans can be substituted with split peas or chickpeas if you want. You can also add or remove spices depending on your preference. Alternative spices include parsley, spinach, mint, dill, and more.
5. Fish Chermoula
In this picture below, chermoula refers to the marinade the fish is swimming in (pun intended)! It is a common marinade that can be found all over Northern Africa. It can be used in a variety of dishes in Morocco including sardines, chicken, shellfish, and much more. You simply leave the meat to soak in the sauce before baking or grilling right after.
A ridiculous number of spices are used for chermoula. To give you an idea, cilantro, garlic, paprika, salt, cumin, ginger, and saffron are just some of them! These spices are mixed with two or three tablespoons of vegetable oil and freshly-squeezed lemon juice. So simple, yet so impactful!
