About.com Moroccan Food

Eid Mubarak!

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:56:25 +0000

Morocco will begin observing the three-day Eid Al-Adha tomorrow, one day later than some other Muslim countries. For those unfamiliar with this Islamic holiday, Eid Al-Adha is a time when Muslims commemorate the Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son when he envisioned it as an act of obedience to God. According to the account in the Qur'an, at the last minute God replaced Abraham's son with an animal to be sacrificed instead. On Eid Al-Adha, then, Muslims also slaughter an animal such as a sheep, goat, cow (or even a camel), and give away some of the meat to charity.

Many dishes might be prepared with the extra meat on hand this time of year, but among the most popular are grilled brochettes, or kebabs. That's the way we'll be preparing some of the organ meat tomorrow, which traditionally gets cooked on the day of the slaughter:

For those who don't enjoy organ meat, we might also make Kefta Kebabs or Turkey Kebabs.

Other parts of the slaughtered animal are usually prepared on subsequent days. Between the home slaughter and the all the food preparations, it's sure to be a busy time for our family. For all who celebrate, I wish you a blessed and happy eid!

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Eid Mubarak! originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Friday, November 27th, 2009 at 10:56:25.

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Onion Stuffed Msemen

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:29:34 +0000

Msemen is a Moroccan pan-fried dough which is made by flattening dough paper-thin, and then folding it into square layers before cooking it. In this Onion Msemen Recipe, a spicy onion filling is spread on the dough before it's folded and fried. It's one of my favorite appetizers or tea foods, and a great snack to make and keep in the freezer for unexpected company. Reheat directly from the freezer by placing the stuffed msemen in a 350� F (180� C) degree oven for about 10 minutes.

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Onion Stuffed Msemen originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 16:29:34.

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Lamb or Beef Tagine with Apricots

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:25:00 +0000

This easy recipe for Lamb or Beef Tagine with Apricots uses classic Moroccan seasoning of saffron, cinnamon, ginger and pepper, and explains how to prepare the dish in a pressure cooker, conventional pot or clay or ceramic tagine. Although the recipe calls for lamb or beef, goat meat is more popular in some regions of Morocco.

The dried apricots used in this recipe are just one of a number of fruits which can be added to Moroccan tagines, either alone or in combination. Raisins, dates, prunes, pears, and quinces are examples of some others. These fruit tagines typically call for more meat than budget-stretching meat and vegetable tagines, and for that reason many families reserve making them for special meals or when entertaining.

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Lamb or Beef Tagine with Apricots originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 10:25:00.

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Lamb or Beef Tagine with Dates

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:56:20 +0000

A variety of dates are native to Morocco and North Africa, including the highly regarded Medjool dates. It's no surprise, then, that this naturally sweet, nutritious fruit has made its way into Moroccan tagines.

Lamb or Beef Tagine with Dates is an easy, savory main dish to put together for a family dinner or when entertaining. Prepared in a manner very similar to that of the more famous Meat and Prunes Tagine, the tagine with dates is a sweet and spicy mix of meat, fruit, cinnamon, saffron, ginger and pepper. Because the dates are sweeter than the prunes, I like to make the seasoning a bit spicier with the additions of white pepper and a little Ras el Hanout.

Toasted unhulled sesame seeds and fried almonds are traditional garnishes and add nutty, crunchy contrast. I like to use both the sesame seeds and the almonds, but some Moroccans consider it more proper to use one or the other as a garnish, but not both on the same dish.

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Lamb or Beef Tagine with Dates originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 10:56:20.

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Lamb or Beef Tagine with Cardoons

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:18:04 +0000

Lamb or Beef Tagine with Cardoons is one of my favorite Moroccan dishes, and one of the seasonal recipes I most look forward to making. Preserved lemon and olives combine perfectly with Moroccan spices to yield a tangy, lightly spicy sauce that complements the cardoons.

Cleaning the cardoons, which look like giant stalks of celery, will seem like a nuisance if you've never done it before. They fresh stalks have to be lightly pared, then quickly rubbed with lemon juice to prevent browning. Once prepped, the cleaned cardoons will keep well for several days.

Because cardoons take so long to cook, I always use a pressure cooker when preparing Tagine with Cardoons. Pressure cookers are also useful for making other tagines when you don't have time for traditional slow-cooking, and I use them to make Harira as well.

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Lamb or Beef Tagine with Cardoons originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 16:18:04.

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Moroccan Sweet Potato Salad

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:43:44 +0000

I've been preparing more Moroccan sweet dishes than I usually do, and this very easy Moroccan Sweet Potato Salad is one of them. The sweet potatoes are cooked with honey, cinnamon, pepper and a bit of saffron until they're sitting in a thick, syrupy sauce. Raisins can be added for extra sweetness and texture.

Sweet potatoes are also outstanding in Moroccan Couscous with Seven Vegetables. Use them in place of the pumpkin or simply add them to the list of ingredients. If you haven't cooked sweet potatoes before, be aware that they turn tender very quickly so test frequently. To avoid overcooking them and pumpkin when making couscous, cook them early on and then remove them from the sauce until serving time. The sweet potatoes and pumpkin can then be returned to the pot to heat through.

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Moroccan Sweet Potato Salad originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Thursday, November 12th, 2009 at 06:43:44.

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Chicken Tagine with Tomatoes and Honey

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:09:43 +0000

Most Moroccan tomato sauces are zesty, but in Chicken Tagine with Tomatoes and Honey the sauce is sweetly flavored with saffron, cinnamon and honey. It may sound like an unusual combination, but it's surprisingly savory and satisfying.

Most tagines are eaten with Moroccan bread for scooping everything up, but this particular dish could work well as an entree served with a fork. That's how I ate the leftovers the next day. Had there been more, I would also have liked to try it on a bed of rice.

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Chicken Tagine with Tomatoes and Honey originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 17:09:43.

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Tagine of Onions and Raisins

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 11:34:55 +0000

This savory Tagine of Onions and Raisins was our family lunch the other day. As the name suggests, it features beef (or lamb) stewed in a cinnamon-infused sauce with sliced onions and golden raisins. It's quite easy to make, and a great choice when in the mood for a sweet and spicy tagine.

I served the tagine with Deep Fried Spicy Potatoes and Tomato and Roasted Pepper Salad. If you're short on time, though, don't fret about sides since many tagines work well as a complete meal. Simply serve lots of Moroccan bread to scoop everything up.

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Tagine of Onions and Raisins originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 11:34:55.

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Moroccan Word of the Day - Bisla

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:14:07 +0000

Onions are called bisla in Moroccan Arabic. This is fairly close to the Standard Arabic of basal.

Onions are used extensively in Moroccan cooking. Most tagines call for at least one onion, and many Moroccan dishes call for more, such as Quince Tagine K'dra and Chicken Bastilla.

When making Roasted Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives, I slice the onions as thinly as shown in the photo. In other recipes, though, the onions might be chopped, thickly sliced, or grated.

The glossary listing for bisla links to even more recipes which call for onions.

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Moroccan Word of the Day - Bisla originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 14:14:07.

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Moroccan Word of the Day - Danjal

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:24:00 +0000

Eggplants, or aubergines, are called a number of different things in Morocco. Early on, these Arabic words sounded so similar to my untrained ear that I thought they were a single word which I couldn't remember correctly. In print, though, it's easy to see the differences.

Danjal seems to be the most popular word in darija for eggplant, followed by badanjal, which my in-laws favor.

Some Moroccan also use danjan, or even the Standard Arabic of badanjan.

Moroccan Fried Eggplant was the first Moroccan eggplant recipe my mother-in-law taught me. My whole family likes them, and I usually serve them as part of a Moroccan Fried Fish Dinner.

Other Moroccan Eggplant Recipes on the site include:

Zaalouk

Moroccan Eggplant Puree

Sweet and Spicy Moroccan Eggplant

Photo � Christine Benlafquih

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Moroccan Word of the Day - Danjal originally appeared on About.com Moroccan Food on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 08:24:00.

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