Archive for the ‘Recipes’ Category

Video Tour: How to Make Moroccan Preserved Lemons

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
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Travel Diary of Moroccan Preserved Lemons

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

preserved-lemons

Preserved lemons are a staple in Moroccan cuisine and are added to slow cooking tagines, stews, and soups for a wonderful tangy lemon flavor that can not be duplicated by fresh lemons.  In Morocco, these lemons can be bought individually at a souk, or marketplace, and are very easy to find given their importance in Moroccan dishes.  Outside of Morocco these lemons may be found in Middle Eastern or international markets but are so easy to make many cooks decide to prepare their own preserved lemons at home.

The ingredients for Moroccan preserved lemons are extremely simple, all you need are whole fresh lemons, sea salt, lemon juice, and, in some recipes, vegetable oil.  There is also the option of adding additional spices to make the preserved lemons more suitable for sweet or savory dishes.  Cinnamon sticks are a common spice that is added for lemons that are going to be used in sweet dishes and pepper or bay leaves are added for lemons that are going to be used in savory tagine dishes.

 

The pickling process takes about one month and the preserved lemons will be good to use for up to six months.  A simple clean jar is sufficient to pickle the lemons in but it is suggested that if you are not planning on refrigerating the lemons that you use a proper sterilized canning jar.

To Make Preserved Lemons

Cut off both rounded ends of the lemon and make two deep cuts lengthwise downwards, careful not to cut all the way through, so that the lemon has been incised with an X.

Stuff the salt down into the cuts using about 1 tablespoon per lemon.

Pack the lemons tightly into the jar, pushing them to the bottom, and cover with lemon juice and any additional spices you choose to include.  Some recipes call for topping the jar with vegetable oil.

Leave the jar closed for one month, checking every couple of days to make sure the lemons are fully submerged in juice.

After one month the lemons are ready, the pulp and skins will have become soft and silken and can both be used in cooking recipes.  Some people use the juice as well but this is often too salty.  Rinse the lemons in water before using to wash away the extra salt and then add to any slow-cooking meat or vegetable tagine dish.

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Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Google on call Travel Exploration at (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Harira – The Traditional Moroccan Soup

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

harira-2

As both a starting point and a destination for merchants along ancient trade routes Morocco developed a cuisine that has Arabic, African, French, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern influences. This blending of cultures and ideas makes Moroccan cuisine unique and often quite surprising. Extensive use of dried fruits such as dates and figs, preserved lemons, nuts, and the blending of fresh herbs and spices gives Moroccan cuisine its distinctive, and delicious, taste.

Harira is the famous soup of Morocco that is traditionally served during Ramadan at sunset to break the daylight fast. While every family has its own recipe with slight variations the traditional Harira is a tomato based soup with lamb, chickpeas, lentils, and pasta, infused with the flavors of lemon, cinnamon, cilantro, parsley, saffron, and ginger, and thickened with flour and egg. The soup is traditionally served with a lemon slice and crusty bread, a small bowl of lemon juice for those who prefer their soup with a little extra, and a plate of figs which are also traditionally served to break fast during Ramadan.

harira-1

While traditionally only served during Ramadan or at weddings Harira is a Moroccan favorite that is hearty enough to be served as a meal on a cold winter’s night, find the recipe below and don’t forget the crusty bread!

Ingredients:

  • ½ lb. uncooked meat (lamb, beef or chicken), chopped into 1/2” pieces
  • several soup bones (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 bunch cilantro (coriander), finely chopped to yield about 1/4 cup
  • 1 bunch parsley, finely chopped to yield about 1/4 cup
  • 1 or 2 celery stalks with leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 large onion, grated
  • 1 can of chick peas
  • 1 tablespoon smen (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons pepper
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric or ¼ teaspoon yellow colorant
  • 6 large tomatoes (about 2 lb. or 1 kg), peeled, seeded and pureed
  • 2 to 3 tbsp lentils
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste, mixed evenly into 1 or 2 cups of water
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons uncooked broken vermicelli
  • 1 cup flour

Preparation:

Step 1 – Ahead of Time

  1. Peel, seed and puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Or, stew the tomatoes and pass them through a food mill to remove the seeds and skin.
  2. Pick the parsley and cilantro leaves from their stems. Small pieces of stem are OK, but discard long, thick pieces with no leaves. Wash the herbs, drain well, and finely chop them by hand or with a food processor.

Assemble the remaining ingredients and follow the steps below.

Step 2 – Brown the Meat

Put the meat, soup bones and oil into a 6-qt. or larger pressure cooker. Over medium heat, cook the meat for a few minutes, stirring to brown all sides.

Step 3 – Make the Stock

Add the cilantro, parsley, celery, onion, chick peas, tomatoes, smen and spices. Stir in 3 cups of water.

Cover tightly, and heat over high heat until pressure is achieved. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and release the pressure.

Step 4 – Make the Soup

Add the lentils, tomato paste mixture, and 2 quarts (or about 2 liters) of water to the stock.

Set aside (but don’t add yet), the vermicelli.

Cover the pot and heat the soup over high heat until pressure is achieved. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking.

Adding vermicelli: Cook the soup on pressure for 45 minutes. Release the pressure, and add the vermicelli. Simmer the soup, uncovered, for five to ten minutes or until the vermicelli is plump and cooked.

Step 5 – Thicken the Soup

While the soup is cooking, mix together the 1 cup of flour with 2 cups of water. Set the mixture aside.

Stir or whisk the mixture occasionally. The flour will eventually blend with the water. If the mixture is not smooth when you’re ready to use it, pass it through a sieve to remove balls.

Once the vermicelli has cooked, taste the soup for seasoning. Add salt or pepper if desired.

Bring the soup to a full simmer. Slowly — and in a thin stream — pour in the flour mixture. Stir constantly and keep the soup simmering so the flour doesn’t stick to the bottom.

You will notice the soup beginning to thicken when you’ve used approximately half the flour mixture. How thick to make harira is your own preference. I like to thicken the broth so that it achieves a cream-like consistency.

Simmer the thickened soup, stirring occasionally, for five to ten minutes to cook off the taste of the flour. Remove the soup from the heat.

Serves 6 to 8.

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Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Google on call Travel Exploration at (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Moroccan Sweets and Pastries, North African Deserts & Recipes

Sunday, April 12th, 2009

 

Moroccan Pastries, Sweets and Deserts

Moroccan Pastries, Sweets and Deserts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stuffed with almond paste, dusted with confectionery sugar and flaking with each bite, Moroccan pastries are reserved for special occasions. Cooking is regarded as an extravagant art in Morocco and in North Africa. Large meals are prepared for births, circumcisions, weddings, celebrations of the days of the profit and various other typical and Muslim specific holidays. Moroccan pastries and deserts are usually offered along with Moroccan Mint tea before the first course of a meal. When touring Morocco make sure to not miss out arriving on time if you are invited into someone’s home as this serves as the perfect opportunity for you to allow the sweeter part of the meal to linger.

As a Guest

Moroccan cuisine traditions are an essential learning experience that can also be provided on a Tailor Made Tour through Cooking with a Daada Chef and bread baking with the Berbers.Travelers that have the opportunity to stay with a Moroccan family will experience a breakfast made for the kings. The host family traditionally will serve a variety of pastries for breakfast: Rghaif (flat buttery Moroccan pastries), Sfenj (Moroccan doughnuts), French pastries (croissants), along with Bayd (eggs, cooked with cumin and sesame seeds), orange juice or coffee.

Moroccan Sfenj, Fried Doughnut

Moroccan Sfenj, Fried Doughnut

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pancakes

Pancakes are a traditional breakfast food as well as a sweet treat in Morocco. On holidays they are adorned with honey, icing, sugar, butter or a rich almond paste. Baghrir pancakes are fried in hot oil, with dot-like air craters on on side.

History

These succulent Moroccan sweets were once only served to the sultans, Islamic leaders, and the elite. When spices were as prized as gold, lower classes were rarely able to partake in such indulgences. Now, when neighbors and friends come together during their afternoon break they enjoy the company with a pot of mint tea and pastries.

Souks

The smell of fresh pastries linger through the city streets. All throughout the maze-like souks vendors sell a wide range of Moroccan sweets. A savory dish, native to Morocco, is bastila, a multi-layered pastry filled with shredded chicken or pigeon meat gently and brushed with a lemon-onion sauce and covered in almonds, cinnamon and sugar. Other flaky croissants are served with warm honey, apricot or other jams.

All Shapes and Sizes

Moroccan deserts and pastries come in all shapes and sizes, generally pastries are light and healthy often made with nuts. Some are long and thin, others round- filled or hallow. Gazelle horns, a crescent shaped treat is of the most famous Moroccan sweets. Check out the recipe below!

Recipe: Kaab el-ghzal (gazelle horns)

serving size: 16 pastries

bake until lightly golden at 350 degrees F

1 3/4 cups of flour

2 tbsp. melted butter

2 tbsp. orange flower water

2 large egg yolks, beaten

A pinch of salt

Icing sugar

Almond Paste:

2 cups of finely ground Almonds

1 cup icing sugar

2 tbsp. orange flower water

2 tbsp. melted butter

2 egg yolks beaten

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients for the almond paste in a bowl, stir until smooth- divide paste into 16 pieces.

Take each piece and roll it into small cylinders (7cm long)

In another bowl, combine flour and salt, melted butter, orange flower and one egg yolk, add cold water to form a soft dough. Kneed for ten minutes, roll out into a thing rectangle- then cut into strips.

Place the almond paste on each pastry, spacing them 3 cm apart. Fold in half to seal the paste. Moisten both sides of the pastry with the remaining egg yolk and a small amount of water. Cut each pasty into a crescent shape, place on a buttered and floured baking sheet.

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Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Google on call Travel Exploration at 1800-787-8806 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

A History Tour of Moroccan Dates, 45 Varities & Recipes

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

 

Moroccan Dates, in Marketplaces

Moroccan Dates, in Marketplaces

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dates have played an important part in Moroccan cuisine for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence suggests the cultivation of dates all the way back in 6,000 BC in Arabia. The date palm was a major source of life for thousands of people throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa and is said to have provided people with thousands of different uses including thread, mattresses, lumber, rope, and many other household and dietary uses. Dates are also very important in Islam with the date palm regarded as the “tree of life” as mentioned in the Story of Genesis and also eaten to ceremoniously break fast during Ramadan. When visiting Morocco on a Tailor Made Jewish Tour or a Family Adventure Tour make sure to include Date picking in Morocco’s south as one of the activties in your travel itinerary.

Moroccan Dates

Morocco’s arid desert region is the perfect place for cultivating dates. Morocco today, boasts over 100 different varieties of dates with 45 qualities of those in the south of Morocco alone. Of the many different varieties of dates the most popular are the Medjool, Algerian stuffed date, and the Halawi date. The Draa, or the Draa Valley, in Morocco is known as the “Country of the Dates” as its hot arid temperatures offer the date palm the perfect climate to thrive.

Moroccan Date Tree

Moroccan Date Tree

Medjool Date

The largest and perhaps the best-known variety of the Moroccan dates is the Medjool date. Often referred to as “the king of dates” it was once reserved only for Moroccan royalty and their guests.They were, and still are, considered a precious confection and are typically the most expensive of the date varieties because their cultivation is more labor intensive.The date has a soft wrinkled flesh that gives way to a firm meaty center.When ripe, the date turns a dark brown color and with hints of wild honey, caramel, and cinnamon it is no wonder this date is considered a gourmet dessert.

In the 1920’s date palms in Morocco were threatened with extinction by a disease, to save their dates Morocco sent eleven date palms to the USA. Nine of the eleven palms survived and are responsible for the millions of Medjool Dates that can be found throughout California and in parts of Arizona.

Moroccan Stuffed Dates

Moroccan Stuffed Dates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Algerian Stuffed Date

The Deglet Noor date, originally from Algeria, are the dates commonly used in Moroccan stuffed date recipes. Primarily an export crop, these dates are semi-dry with a firm texture and a sweet and delicate flavor. Ranging from a light red to amber color these dates actually make up 90 percent of the Californian date crop and can be found in many Moroccan tagine recipes.

Halawi Date

The Halawi Date is a soft wrinkled date with a meaty flesh and a sweet caramel flavor. While not as large or as favored as the Medjool Date the Halawi Date is still considered a delicacy and because of its soft sweet flesh and high sugar content it is often served as a dessert at Moroccan meals.

Moroccan Date Festival

Every October in the Moroccan town of Erfoud a three-day festival celebrating the date is held. The date is the main livelihood for the people of Erfoud so it is no wonder that this festival focuses on the celebration of the date harvest and prayers for a successful harvest to come. Endless music, dancing, and of course eating dates spans the three day celebration where locals and tourists alike gather together under the swaying palm trees.

Moroccan Date Recipes:

Dates play an extremely important part in Moroccan cuisine and are used in both sweet and savory meals. Below, find the recipes for a Beef tagine that features honey and dates and also a sweet recipe for stuffed dates, enjoy!

Moroccan Beef tagine with dates and honey

Ingredients

3 lbs beef, trimmed and cubed

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

1 lb of onion, peeled and quartered

4-6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 lb of carrots, peeled and chopped

9 ounces of canned tomatoes

4 ounces of dates, pitted

6 ounces of prunes, pitted

2 tablespoons of honey

½ pint of beef stock

1 cinnamon stick

2 teaspoons of cumin powder

2 teaspoons of cilantro powder

1 teaspoon of ginger

1 teaspoon of turmeric

2 ounces of toasted sliced almonds

2 ounces of fresh cilantro chopped

Directions

  1. Par-boil the carrots for 3-5 minutes, at the same time pre-heat your tagine or croc pot.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until they have browned slightly then put them into the tagine.
  3. Add all of the remaining ingredients, except for the almonds and fresh cilantro, into the tagine and mix well.
  4. Put the beef into a pan and sear them until brown, add beef to the tagine.
  5. Cook the tagine in a hot oven for 6-10 hours or, if using a croc pot, cook on high setting for same amount of time.
  6. Serve over couscous and sprinkle with sliced almonds and fresh cilantro.

Stuffed Dates Recipe:

 

Ingredients

375 grams of dates, pitted

1 cup of peeled ground almonds

1/4 cup of confectioners’ sugar

1 egg white

Directions

Mix the ground almonds, sugar and egg white together. Put this mixture in a skillet and cook over a low flame, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes sticky. Add 1 tsp water and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the flame and let cool for several minutes. With this mixture stuff the dates and roll in confectioners’ sugar. Serve while the filling is hot or at room temperature.

For more information about Date Picking on a Tailor Made Morocco Tour.

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Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Google on call Travel Exploration at 1800-787- 8806and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

A Taste of Morocco: Vegetarian Dining The Amanouz Cafe

Monday, March 30th, 2009

amanouz cafeAfter reading all about the traditional cuisine and sweet mint tea of Morocco I was more than ready to experience it myself when I headed to Amanouz Café in Northampton, Massachusetts. Located on Main Street this unassuming café specializes in the mouth-watering aromas and sumptuous tastes of Moroccan cuisine transporting it from the North African Sahara to this small New England town.

As I made my way to Amanouz Café on a sunny March afternoon I started wondering if I would be able to find anything on the menu that I would actually be able to eat. As a non meat-eater I have found myself in many situations at restaurants where I am forced to nibble on a few lettuce leaves or find myself, once again, ordering the tuna melt because every other option on the menu is loaded with meat. Having read up on Moroccan cuisine I knew that many of the dishes were stews that focused on meats such as chicken or beef and that lamb was often the king of the Moroccan table. Needless to say, Amanouz Café was not about to disappoint me and I walked away from my lunch incredibly full and tremendously satisfied.

Amanouz Cafe

vegetarian tajine Sitting at one of the small tables in the casual dining area at Amanouz Café I let the soothing Moroccan music wash over me as I surveyed the scene. The walls of the café are lined with the work of local artists and a small bookcase contains pictures and informational books on Mediterranean and Moroccan cultures. Having arrived just before the lunch rush the atmosphere is calm and hushed with many customers sitting alone with a book or a laptop, sipping on their tea and enjoying a moment’s peace. The kitchen is at the back of the dining area, allowing patrons to see and smell their meals being prepared with a large counter sectioning it off from the dining area. The counter itself is covered with sweet Mediterranean and Moroccan treats, from honey-filled pastries to pistachio nut-covered cakes. The aromas wafting from the kitchen remind my stomach how hungry it is and I turn my attention to the menu…

A Vegetarian Moroccan Meal

To my surprise, and delight, the menu at Amanouz Café was full of vegetarian options and vegetarian versions of classic Moroccan meals. What I didn’t realize is that meat is often a specialty item, especially for Moroccan peasants, and so many dishes featured vegetables and couscous with fish rather than meat. Fresh vegetables, herbs, breads, fish, couscous, and olives are main staples in Moroccan cuisine which means that as a vegetarian I still get to enjoy the traditional, and delicious, Moroccan meals.

Moroccan Mint Tea

The tea came served in a traditional metal tea pot with a water glass that had fresh mint leaves at the bottom. The sweet minty flavor of the tea was absolutely delicious and made me understand the reason for its popularity in Morocco.

Moroccan Sardine Salad

The Sardine salad came next, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, a hard boiled egg and peppers topped with a Moroccan salsa, fresh sardine fillets, and sprinkled with fresh cilantro. Delicious, fresh, and simple, the perfect start to my Moroccan meal.

Moroccan Pizza

Next came the Amanouz pizza, a Moroccan twist on an Italian classic. This individual sized pizza, made on Moroccan pita bread rather than pizza crust, had an ingenious assortment of roasted peppers, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, onions, and olives; needless to say it wasn’t left sitting on the plate for very long!

Traditional Moroccan Lentil soup

The soup of the day at Amanouz Café was traditional Moroccan Lentil soup. A thick, dark, and rich soup chock full of tender lentils and finished off with a swirl of olive oil. The soup made a surprisingly delicious, and extremely filling, contribution to the meal.

Tagine Fish

To my delight I found that not all tagine dishes in Moroccan cuisine focused on meat, this tagine was a stew that consisted of rice, tomatoes, grilled green peppers, and finished with large balls of fish meat on the top. The fish balls were topped with slices of fresh lemon, grated carrots, and fresh parsley and cilantro. It was presented in a traditional tagine by the server who ceremoniously took off the top of the dish allowing the amazing aromas to waft out.

Moroccan Couscous

To accompany the tagine I had a side order of traditional Moroccan couscous. The couscous was light and fluffy and seasoned with just enough salt and pepper and finished off with a sprinkling of parsley. It made a great addition to the fish tagine but was also delicious enough to eat on its own. It is quite obvious why Moroccans serve couscous at every meal, as a versatile and delicious dish couscous can make a great addition to any meal or be a meal by itself.

My vegetarian Moroccan adventure came to a close with more Moroccan mint tea and a few nibbles of the delicious sweet pastries from the counter. Extremely full and more than satisfied by my delicious lunch I walked away from Amanouz Café that afternoon already planning what to order during my next visit. With so many delicious vegetarian options I was happy to know that I could enjoy traditional Moroccan cuisine in such a wonderful atmosphere so close to home.

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Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Google on call Travel Exploration at (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Bread Baking Tour To Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains With A Berber Family

Friday, March 27th, 2009

bread-cooking-on-rocks-with-fire

Akin to Spain, bread  in Morocco is a key component of any Moroccan diet. There is an ancient proverb, “manage with bread and butter until God sends honey”. This ancient saying affirms that there is availability of bread to all groups in Morocco. For example, the Berbers of the Rif Mountains sustained themselves with bread made from Barely. While present times afford more variety in Moroccan’s diets and bread can be supplemented with potatoes, tomatoes, pepper, fruit or nuts, bread still plays an important role in the lives of Moroccans.  In cities, Moroccans can be spotted daily in the early parts of the morning carrying bags of assorted breads that they picked up at the market. In villages women can be found baking bread from scratch in earthen ovens.

Lunch

Traditionally, Moroccans eat three meals a day, with lunchtime remaining the most important as all family members still come home from school or work to eat together.At each of these meals, one person is designated to distribute the bread. 

Community Ovens

Historically, bread has played such an important role in the life of Moroccans. Until the 1980’s, almost all Moroccan families made their own bread. The Moroccan child wearing a padded hat would walk to the Fran, carrying a gssa or a red pan filled with yeast on top of their heads. Frans, strategically located community ovens, were found in every neighborhood, and baked dozens of loafs at once. These Frans can still be found and are utilized by the Fassis (local people) in the old Medina of Fes. As there were so many breads baking together, anything placed in the oven was marked with a rubber stamp.

Buying Bread

Today, a faster paced lifestyle in Morocco and an increasing number of households having two working parents has resulted in less use of the Fran. Regardless, if you find yourself being one of the lucky visitors to receive a dinner invitation from a native Moroccan, rest assured that the bread you try will be delicious. Enter any souk during the morning (a Moroccan shopping street in the medina) and you will surely feel a longing to come face to face with the mouthwatering aromas traveling through the air and playing flirtatiously with your sense of smell.  

Bread Types 

Upon entering a bakery, you will be confronted with many choices of breads usually made from coarse barely, flour, wheat, sorghum, or millet. The bread bakers are usually women who are expert in kneading the dough until it is evenly distributed and enriched with herbs, spices, proteins, and other goodies. The breads come in many shapes, sizes, and forms. Some are leavened and others are flat and thin, being shaped into long and crispy donuts or Therfist -unleavened bread in sheets. The most common breads are heavy, spicy, soft crusted and highly absorbent as they are meant to be dipped into a Tajine or Tagine, a traditional stew or sauce. Examples of such breads include Tagella, a special bread made by the Tuaregs of the Sahara or ‘Blue people’. The bread is baked on hot sand. Also popular is Khboz Milka-a flattened circular dough cooked until brown on both sides. If you would like to enjoy an everyday bread, try your hand at Batbout. This tasty bread, best described as a soft chewy bagel or a thick pita, is eaten everyday expect during Ramadan. Some of the most exotic bread making experiences can be found in Morrocco’s Middle Atas Mountains with Berber families.

Baking

There is an ancient tradition of bread baking on rocks that dates back centuries and is still common among Berber families today. The process begins with the kneading of dough until it is brick-thick and then stuffing it with fresh herbs, fat, spices and chilies. Once the bread has been stuffed, it is placed on a round, short stack of rocks that have been heated evenly by brush fire. The bread is then covered with brush which is burned. Within 20 minutes after it is completely cooked, the brush is cleared off. The bread is then cooled with a whisk and served amidst mountain views and clear skies. This type of thick and wonderfully hearty dish – Berber Mountain bread- is akin to the taste of stuffed pizza.

Bakers

The bread is traditionally made by those Berbers of the Middle and High Atlas, who still retain a Nomadic lifestyle. For those who want to participate in this unique bread making experience it can be included as part of a tour in Southern Morocco whereby one discovers ancient Kasbahs, the Draaa Valley and life in a Berber village through Travel Exploration. 

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Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Google on call Travel Exploration at (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

The Couscous Tradition Of Morocco

Saturday, March 21st, 2009

couscous

Couscous or more affectionately known as seksu or sikuk, is the national dish of Morocco. The origins of the dish’s name is still a mystery, but many attribute it to the hissing sound as its steam moves through the holes of the couscoussière (steamer).  While in most Moroccan families this rolled semolina cereal is prepared and eaten on Fridays, a few incorporate couscous into their diet at least a few times a week. Although some debate exists, couscous is a food whose origins are best linked with the Berbers from North Africa. As the Berbers were poor agrarian people living in the mountains, it became a staple food for them due to easy access to wheat in Morocco. At one point in time, was also the national dish for southern Spain; however, when the Arabs were expelled it became illegal to eat couscous by the decree of the inquisition. Only in recent years has couscous made an appearance in western cultures. Unfortunately, many pre-packaged instant varieties of couscous circulate in western stores. As a result, many people have the false idea that couscous shouldn’t take much longer than spaghetti to prepare. While it is possible to achieve a good couscous if handled properly, an authentic couscous can take up to five hours to cook. Couscous is also a celebratory dish eaten at weddings, funerals, or the end of festivals or holidays like the 27th of September, a date important in Ramadan . 

couscous meal

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Travel Exploration specializes in Morocco Travel. We provide Tours and travel opportunities to Morocco for the independent traveler and tailor-made tours for families and groups with a distinctly unique flavor. From Morocco’s Seven Imperial Cities, to the Magical Sahara Travel Exploration offers a captivating experience that will inspire you. At Travel Exploration we guarantee that you will discover the best of Morocco! Google on call Travel Exploration at (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Tea In The Sahara – Morocco’s Berber Mint Whisky

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

mint-tea-potm

Imagine you are wandering the maze-like souks of Marrakech.  Merchants are calling to you to take a look at their ware: sapphire-blue water jugs, intricate carpets of every color, multi-colored baboosh, or slippers, sparkling silver jewelry, sweet pastries dripping with honey, the sights, sounds, and smells of Marrakech.  As you make your way through the crowded market you spy a vendor selling traditional Moroccan mint tea, thirsty from your trek through the hot and dusty souk, you decide to sit down and sample this most famous beverage of Morocco.

Morocco is famous not only for its tea but also for the way it is prepared.  El Mehdi Miman, a 19 year old from Settat, Morocco, explains that there is a process to the tea making that must be followed if you want to taste true Moroccan tea.
“The preparation of the tea is a whole art and it is also the art of patience,” Mehdi explains, “True tea specialists never prepare it in a few minutes but rather quietly while talking with friends”.
Although the process is long it must be worth it because Moroccans have been drinking tea this way since it was first introduced in Morocco in the 18th century.  Why does Mehdi consider tea making an art?  He says “despite the wait when the tea finally arrives in our glass it is always hot!”

Mehdi says that there are many ways to make Moroccan tea but he was kind enough to share the way he was taught to make his favorite kind of tea, sweet mint tea!

First: Pour boiling water into the tea pot, swish it around, and then pour it away
Next: Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of green tea leaves to the tea pot, add some water, allow to sit for a minute and then throw that water away (this is to remove the bitterness from the tea, Mehdi says)
Then: Add boiling water back to the tea pot; add fresh mint leaves and sugar cubes.  Push the mint leaves to the bottom of the glass and allow to steep for two to three minutes so that all of the flavors are released.
Pour into water glasses and enjoy!

Want to really look like a tea-making pro?  According to Mehdi the tea specialists hold the tea pot really high above the glass while pouring.  If you can pull that off not only will you be enjoying delicious Moroccan tea but you’ll look pretty cool doing it.  Just be careful not to burn yourself!

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