Posts Tagged ‘Moroccan recipes’

Morocco for Vegetarians, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Sunday, June 2nd, 2013

Moroccan Vegetable Tajine

Morocco offers plenty of fulfilling options for vegetarian travelers . It has wonderful  and abundant fresh vegetables and spices like cumin, saffron cinnamon and paprika and seasonal fruits which you will see piled high in local souks.

For breakfast  you will be offered bread with honey and jam and  omelettes . You can also try Moroccan pancakes and crepes called malouai with honey which are often served in local cafes.

Lunch is the main meal of the day and everything stops from noon to 3:00 p.m. Restaurants usually begin by serving a salad, which includes an array of vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, radishes, green peppers, beetroot  and eggplant, with spices and herbs.

Moroccan Vegetable Dish

The main course often consists of a tagine or couscous.  A tagine is a slow-cooked stew  served in an earthen ware pot and funnel shaped cover.  Restaurants in the main cities are now more aware of  vegetarians and vegetable tangines are usually on the menu, but you need to make sure that they are not using a meat stock. Moroccan traditions do change to accommodate tourists but sometimes you have to make sure your requirements have been fully understood. Carry a phrase book in French and Moroccan Arabic. The same is also true for Morocco’s other favourite dish the couscous. Couscous is semolina grains which are steamed above a pot of boiling vegetables. Pieces of meat are also included so vegetarians have to ensure that there is no meat in the couscous and no meat based stock.

During Ramadan and other special occasions, harira with dates is served to break the fast. This  nutritious and delicious soup has a tomato base and is thick with lentils, chickpeas and herbs. Harira is often made with vegetables but you will need to check beforehand with the restaurant to ensure that it is made without meat or meat  based broth.

Street food and restaurant appetizers also offer an array of meatless delights including olives and hummus, dried fruits, roasted nuts and b’sarra (white bean soup with olive oil and garlic).

In Marrakech  Earth Café is well known as an organic vegetarian and vegan restaurant  and it is in the heart of the medina, just off the Jemaa el Fna square. They have six entrees, three of which are vegan at 60 dirhams [about 5 or 6 euros] for huge delicious portions. They also have good fresh juices.  Chez Chegrouni  also offers good vegetarian fare.

Café des Epices  and Terasse des Epices also offer excellent vegetarian meals as does the stylish Le Foundouk restaurant, not far from the Medersa Ben Youssef in the Medina.

Riad 58 Blu is a charming riad which serves excellent vegetarian food to order and  is open to non residents . Food needs to be ordered the night before.

Pepe Nero is a high class riad restaurant with an impressive menu of Moroccan and Italian vegetarian  dishes which need to  be ordered the night before.

Cuisine de Mona‘s  serves superb Lebanese  food  and vegetarian dishes which can be enjoyed  in  the restaurant or as a take away. The restaurant  is on an early  turning off the route de Targa just  before the three pizza  restaurants on the right hand side.

 In Essaouira two recommended restaurants are:

Lalla Mira is an organic and ‘eco’ restaurant, hotel and spa.

La Petite Perle,   a popular  restaurant which serves good vegitarian dishes.

In Fes

Riad Dar Dmana is inside the medina and serves excellent vegetarian meals to its guests which need to be ordered  the night before.

Café Clock  has several vegetarian and vegan dishes on its extensive menu and is a great meeting place in Fes for tourists, expats and locals.

For More Information on Morocco for Vegetarians or a Morocco Tour  
Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara Desert,Berber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate
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! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or + 1 (212) 618882681 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

Moroccan Food & A Menu for Moroccan Appetite, Your Morocco Tour Guide

Wednesday, June 15th, 2011

Moroccan couscous with raisins

Moroccan food is considered some of the best in the world. The easiest way to discover the true flavors of Moroccan cuisine are to take a Moroccan cooking class or explore various restaurants in Morocco’s Imperial Cities such as Marrakech, Fes, Rabat or Essaouira on a Morocco tour. Another way to discover authentic Moroccan cuisine is to dine with a local family in a Berber Village. Berber villages are known for their unique fare as result that their main staples in making Moroccan traditional cuisine such as couscous are grown locally in their fields alongside special herbs which allows for amazingly tasteful food. Moroccan recipes such as baking bread by fire and a tajine on starlit night can be learning on a Sahara desert tour to the Erg Chebbi Dunes of Merzouga whereby your camel trekking guide takes you off on a journey into the vast dunes to a Sahara camp at sunset to learn the secrets of the Sahara. To fully enjoy a Moroccan meal one must arrive with an empty stomach and then fully prepare themselves for a three or four-course Moroccan feast. As the French proverb says, “Appetite comes with eating; the more one has, the more one would have” so make sure to visit Morocco with an open palate and a big appetite!

Moroccan carrot salad

This menu and choice will give you a real taste of Moroccan food. Many variations are available.

  • Lamb Chops/Lamb burgers/Steak, Pork Chops/ Chicken Thighs
  • Carrot Salad
  • Couscous with raisins
  • Macerated Oranges

Lamb Chops/Lamb burgers/Steak, Pork Chops/ Chicken Thighs

Season the meat with salt, pepper, cumin and a touch of cinnamon (or salt pepper and ras al hanout, if you have it). If you can let is sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so, do so. Bring the meat to room temp (20 min) before cooking as desired.

Carrot Salad

Cook cleaned and sliced carrots as usual (in small amount of cold water, bring to the boil, simmer until tender, appr. 6-8 minutes). Drain. In bowl add carrots, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, lemon juice or vinegar, salt, pepper, olive oil and chopped parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm or at room temp.

Couscous with Raisins

Cook couscous with small handful raisins according to package. Fluff with fork. Add lemon juice, cooked chickpeas (from the can), chopped herbs such as cilantro, parsley or mint, salt & pepper to taste. Serve hot or room temp.

Macerated Oranges

Peel oranges. Either slice or segment (supreme) oranges in a bowl. Add cinnamon, sugar or honey and ½ teaspoon rose or orange flower water. Let stand in refrigerator one hour. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Happy Cooking!

By Freya Ellinwood, Morocco Travel Writer

For more information about Moroccan Food and Recipes or a Morocco Tour

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel ExplorationTravel 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! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Moroccan Bread, Flatbreads and Pancakes, Recipes for Msemen and Hacha, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Saturday, April 16th, 2011

Moroccan Msemen

Morocco is a country in North Africa where people consume allot of bread, Bread is always on the table an eaten with almost every meal. Bread is fitting with the traditional cuisine of Morocco that consists of tajines, stews and soups. What’s staggering about “bread” in Morocco is that is primarily made by all women at home and often twice daily. This results in fresh and delicious breads of all kinds from flatbreads to pancakes.

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. 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.

Moroccan Hacha

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. 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.
Although bakery bread can be bought in most neighborhoods, many families still prepare their own bread and bake it in street ovens. The recipes below will show you how to make authentic Moroccan bread (khobz) at home. Rghaif – folded and fried doughs such as msemen and meloui – or crepe-like beghrir frequently appear alongside bread for breakfast, tea time or a snack.

Moroccan bread (called khobz in Arabic) is shaped into round, flattish loaves which have lots of crust and versions of Moroccan flatbreads such as Msemen and Meloui are made without the curst. What goes into each kind of bread that is made is a matter of personal preference and Moroccan tradition. White, semolina, wheat, rye,and barley are some of the flours that are used by Moroccan women who bake bread. Anise and cumin seeds are two additions that are often added to give thick or flatbreads an extra flavor.

Moroccan Msemen Flatbread Baked Fresh, Old Medina Marrakesh

In rural areas, many families use small dome-shaped wood burning ovens to bake their bread. This gives bread a unique flavor and character that simply can’t be matched in a conventional oven.  Although breadbakiMoroccan bread can be baked in home ovens, and it’s worth trying to make your own bread to complement a Moroccan meal. Even if you’re not experienced with yeast doughs, you’ll find Moroccan Bread easy to make. No special pans are needed to shape the dough – everyday baking sheets will work just fine – and the dough needs only an hour or so to rise. Perfect for timing bread to be warm from the oven when the main meal is ready to serve. Try either of these basic Moroccan bread recipes the next time you plan to serve a tagine or other Moroccan dish:

Moroccan Msemen

Morocccan Msemen

Msemen – also known as rghaif – are Moroccan pancakes that have been folded into a square shape before being fried in a pan.   This is a recipe for the dough used to make msemen. The dough is kneaded like bread dough until soft and smooth.

How to Fold & Make Msemen: -Flatten portions of the dough and fold them into squares. Frying the dough in a pan yields a layered pancake or flatbread that is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. – The recipe below uses a little semolina flour for texture and taste. The use of semolina is a matter of personal preference. Substitute more semolina for the white flour if you like a coarser texture. Or, you can omit the semolina entirely.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Yield: Approx. 20 msemen (4″ square)

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups flour (340 g)

1/2 cup fine semolina (90g)

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 1/3 liter)

For folding and cooking the msemen:

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1/2 cup fine semolina

1/4 cup very soft unsalted butter

Preparation:

Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water, and mix to form a dough. Add more water if necessary to make a dough that is soft and easy to knead, but not sticky. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add a little flour one tablespoon at a time.

Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes, (or knead the dough in a stand mixer with dough hook for 5 minutes), until the dough is very smooth and elastic.

Proceed with folding and cooking the dough.

Serving Suggestions:
Serve the msemen plain, with butter and honey, or jam.
To make a syrup from butter and honey, simply melt equal portions of butter and honey in a pan until hot and bubbly. Carefully and quickly dip the msemen in the syrup and place on a serving platter.

Moroccan Meloui

Meloui are round Moroccan pancakes (rghaif) that are shaped by rolling a strip of dough up like a rug, and then flattening the upright coil into a circle.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Ti me: 30 minutes
Total Time: 60 minutes
Yield: Approx. 20 msemen (4″ square)

Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups flour (340 g) 1/2 cup fine semolina (90g) 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon yeast 1 1/2 cups warm water (approx. 1/3 liter) * * * For folding and cooking the msemen: 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil 1/2 cup fine semolina 1/4 cup very soft unsalted butter

Preparation: Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups of warm water, and mix to form a dough. Add more water if necessary to make a dough that is soft and easy to knead, but not sticky. If the dough is too sticky to handle, add a little flour one tablespoon at a time. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes, (or knead the dough in a stand mixer with dough hook for 5 minutes), until the dough is very smooth and elastic. Proceed with folding and cooking the dough.

Serving Suggestions: Serve the msemen plain, with butter and honey, or jam. To make a syrup from butter and honey, simply melt equal portions of butter and honey in a pan until hot and bubbly. Carefully and quickly dip the msemen in the syrup and place on a serving platter.

Ingredients: 2 cups of whole wheat flour 2 cups of all purpose flour (usually I put 3 cups of whole wheat + 1 cup all purpose flour, to have more fiber) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp active yeast 1 tsp sugar 1 tbsp of powdered milk Salt to taste lukewarm water to combine the dough

Directions: In a bowl sift the flour & make a well. pour in the olive oil, sugar, salt, powdered milk, yeast. Now pour about half a cup of lukewarm water on the well to dissolve the yeast. Then mix all together, adding water at the same time, bit by bit. Once you combined the dough it should be soft, neither hard nor sticky. If it’s hard add little bit of water, if it’s sticky add flour & work the dough with a good knead. Shape the dough into a ball or more depending on how big you want the bread. Allow it to rise for about 10 min. Sprinkle your working surface with flour & flatten the ball. It shouldn’t be too thick nor too thin. Cover it with a clean cloth & let it rise (30 to 45 min) depending on the room temperature. You can test it by pressing the dough with your finger. If the finger print takes a long time to disappear, you should wait little longer. Poke the dough with a fork or slash it using a knife. Grease a baking sheet & bake the dough in an oven, over medium temperature until it’s golden brown. To cut it, use a sharp knife & mark a (+) shape on the bread. To eat it Moroccans would just pinch a 2 x 2 inches square & dip it in the stew.

For more information about Moroccan food and cuisine tours

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration 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! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806 or 1 (917)703-2078 and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Eating in Djemaa-El-Fna Square, In Marrakesh, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010
Dinner in the Djemaa El Fna Square
Dinner in the Djemaa El Fna Square, in Marrakesh, Photo by Mary Mimouna

Djemaa El Fna Square is in the heart of MarrakeshMorocco is like no where else on earth, and an adventure not to be missed after dusk.  Courageous travelers in Morocco will definitely want to eat in the Djemaa El Fna Square.  Tourists can avoid any chance of illness simply by sticking to foods that are actually cooked in front of them, and passed over to be eaten off of a clean paper.  The Moroccan family in the photo above is waiting for their main course to come out of the cooking pot in front of them.Whether you choose to eat or not, just a stroll through the Djemaa El Fna Square in the evening can provide some very unique photo opportunities.

Freshly Cooked Seafood in the Djemaa El Fna Square in Marrakesh, photo by Mary Mimouna
Freshly Cooked Seafood in the Djemaa El Fna Square in Marrakesh, Photo by Mary Mimouna

One of the best meals to have in Djemaa El Fna Square is a variety of types of freshly-cooked white fish including sole.  These are served with French fries, and a variety of salads eaten with bread out of a dish or off of a clean paper, consisting separately of mashed cooked eggplant with a squeeze of lemon and salt; tomato, onion, and parsley salad; and roasted green pepper salad.  You might also want to try chicken or beef brochettes (shish-ke-babs) roasted over a fire, or roasted whole chicken.  Snails are served from special carts.  If you have never tried snails, Morocco is definitely the place to do so.  Various bottles of soda pop are served as drinks.  For most tourists, this is the best option.  (Water and tea might be available, but you will be unwittingly sharing a cup with many other dinners, so these are best avoided in the Square.)

Cooked Sheepheads in Djemaa El Fna Squrare, in Marrakesh, Photo by Mary Mimouna;
Cooked Sheepheads in Djemaa El Fna Square, in Marrakesh, Photo by Mary Mimouna

Really adventurous diners will want to try sheep heads in Djemaa El Fna Square.  While most people in the West aren’t aware of it, bologna is made out of the tender meat of the face.  You can also try tongue, brains (a Moroccan favorite), heart, liver, or pancreas stuffed with rice and currants.  Some tourists may just want to take pictures of these things to send back home.

Once you have completed your meal, you step behind the serving cart, where a man is ready with soap and ladles of clean water to let you wash your hands.

Either before dinner, at sunset, or after eating, you may wish to sit up in Café Argana, a landmark in Djemaa El Fna Square where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the lively and exotic Square while sipping Moroccan coffee or tea.

Djemaa El Fna Square at Night, Photo by Mary Mimouna
Djemaa El Fna Square at Night, Taken from Café Argana, Photo by Mary Mimouna

The Djemaa El Fna Square is located next to the main entrance to the Marrakesh Souks.  A meal in the Square can also be a great start or finish to your Marrakesh one day tour or even a Sahara Desert Tour .

For more information about Eating in Djemaa El Fna Square or a Marrakesh Tour

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

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! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806  or 1 (917)703-2078  and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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Morocco, The Land of Olives, Your Morocco Travel Guide

Sunday, May 16th, 2010

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Olive Souk in Marrakesh, Morocco, Photo by Mary Mimouna

If you are an olive olive lover, you will find Morocco to be a paradise!

All the different colors and varieties of Moroccan olives are cured with different methods. The lemony greens, the succulent reds, and the pungent blacks are all done in several different ways, and each style has separate uses in the Moroccan cuisine.

Once the olives are picked off the trees in mid-November, they are usually cut in Morocco with a razor blade, using a long, diagonal slash.  During the hand-cutting, they are sorted by color into green, red, and black, all going into different vats.

Freshly picked olives

The olive vats are then filled with water, with the water being changed daily, until most of the bitterness is soaked out.  This takes roughly two-to-three weeks, with each color taking a different amount of time.

The simplest home curing at this point involves just putting the olives into heavily-salted water.  However, many people have their own family recipes, and olives in the souk are most often using other recipes involving both vinegar and heavily salted water.  The olives are considered ready after three months, but can be eaten sooner.  Many families in Morocco try to preserve one or two barrels at home to use throughout the year.

Only green and red olives tend to be used in cooked recipes in Morocco, and each type is used in different traditional recipes.  Black olives are generally eaten as an accompaniment to salads, or arranged on top of the salad.

Black, salt-cured olives

Black, salt-cured olives

One interesting type of olive in the souk, which is also seen in restaurants, is a black variety which appears to be shriveled up, even spoiled.  Don’t worry!  Its shriveled appearance comes from the unusual way it is cured.  Instead of being cut and soaked in salt water, it is picked off the tree and packed directly into salt, where it it left for about three months.

Moroccan Green Cracked Spiced Olives

Moroccan spiced olives are another interesting variety of green olives.  The cured green olives are cracked (pits left in) and mixed with chopped corriander and flat parsley, chili flakes or small whole chilies, finely chopped garlic, cumin powder, lemon juice, and a little olive oil.  They are quite spicy, and often served before the meal in restaurants together with bread and butter.

While most often the pits are not removed, a few varieties do remove the pits and replace them with such delicacies as slivered almonds.

Whenever you visit the souks of Morocco, always take time to visit the olive markets, as the different olives on display provide a captivating photo opportunity.  When eating in Moroccan restaurants, do take time to enjoy how and where the different colors and varieties of olives are served.

For more information about Moroccan Olives or a Private Morocco Tour of Cuisine and Curing Olives

For more information about Travel and Tours to Morocco plus highlights on Moroccan culture visit Morocco’s Imperial CitiesSeaside Resorts,Sahara DesertBerber villagesA Taste of MoroccoMagical Kasbahs, Ruins & WaterfallsAbsolute Morocco, The Best of MarrakechFes, and Ouarzazate

Discover The Best of Morocco - Travel Exploration

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! Call Travel Exploration at 1 (800) 787-8806  or 1 (917)703-2078  and let’s book a tour to Morocco for you today.

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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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