A confluence of different cuisines, the Moroccan gastronomical scene is truly trending across the world
Moroccan culinary landscape is renowned for its rich and diverse flavours, influenced by a mix of Arab, Berber, Andalusian, and Mediterranean culinary traditions, with a hint of French and Spanish influence. Let’s have a quick glance at the different culinary elements that are present and celebrated in Moroccan dishes:
Berber Influence: Traditional Berber dishes often included ingredients like grains (barley, wheat), vegetables, and olive oil. One of the staples is couscous, a steamed semolina dish typically served with vegetables. The indigenous Berbers laid the foundation for Moroccan cuisine.
Arab Influence: Indispensable to the deliciousness of the cuisine, Arabs introduced spices such as cinnamon, ginger, saffron, and cumin, along with new cooking methods like slow cooking in clay pots.
Andalusian Influence: Andalusian culinary traditions to Morocco brought along new fruits (oranges, lemons) and vegetables (tomatoes, bell peppers).
French and Spanish Influence: The French and Spanish colonial period in the 19th and 20th centuries further enriched Moroccan cuisine, introducing European cooking techniques and ingredients like pastries.
Pastilla is a wonderful blend of spices, herbs, veggies, chickpeas, and almonds that are blanched, fried, and ground, mixed with sugar and cinnamon. This dish is widely adopted across the globe for myriad reasons. The combination of vegetables, nuts, and optionally chickpeas provide a balanced mix of macronutrients. Pastilla also contributes to an optimum fibre content. The spices and herbs are also rich in antioxidants. This dish is especially popular in the Netherlands, the Middle East, and Australia, and is served during parties and festivals.
The salad includes slices of tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, parsley, cilantro, and olive and cheese for garnish. Moroccan salad. In Moroccan culture, salads are an integral part of meals and are often served as a starter or side dish alongside main courses like tagines (slow-cooked stews) or couscous. What really flares up the popularity of this salad across countries and dietary habits is perhaps its wholesomeness and nutritious aspect. Moroccan salad has been customised and adapted for serving throughout the year.
A traditional dish of the nomadic Berbers, Berkoukech Soup is an assortment of vegetables that create a brothy texture. Sometimes, to jazz up its taste, bell peppers, peas, or spinach are added to the bowl. Since the soup could be stored for 3 to 4 days, it is a favourite and easy-to-make healthy meal. The addition of barley dials up the health quotient of this Moroccan delight. When cooked, barley absorbs the distinct taste of the broth and vegetables while retaining a chewy texture, providing a satisfying mouthfeel.
Briouats are a traditional Moroccan dish consisting of small pastries that are filled with a variety of savoury sweet ingredients, and are either fried or baked. Briouats could be relished in different forms and textures: vegetable-stuffed briouats, cheesy briouats, almond briouats, and honey briouats. These are served as snacks or appetisers and go well with a hot cuppa of Moroccan mint tea. Spain, France, Belgium, the US, Canada, and the UK heavily indulge in eating briouats.
Traditional Moroccan meals are balanced, combining vegetables, grains, legumes, and healthy fats, providing a wide range of nutrients necessary for a well-rounded diet. Spiced couscous is perhaps the finest example of this balance. This filling and aromatic dish contains seasonal veggies, orange juice, chickpeas, raisins, and fresh mint, which explains the intensity of its flavour. This dish is beloved in North America, France, and Middle East.
The sheer variety of veggies contributes to the fibre and protein content in Moroccan vegetarian dishes which increase satiety and maintain a healthy weight.
