MOROCCAN DINING

Typical Moroccan Meals


Lunch, called rada, is the main meal in Morocco so it's also the largest and often includes several courses, according to Raphael Chijioke Njoku, author of "Culture and Customs of Morocco." Most families eat the midday meal at home together before going back to work. The meal starts with green vegetables or salads called tapas, which are followed by tajine, a stew or soup. Hard-boiled eggs, bread, lamb or chicken and couscous are common parts of a Moroccan lunch as well. Breakfast, called futo, usually includes bread, jam, butter and olives, and dinner, called asha, is usually leftovers from lunch. 

Sharing Food

In the Moroccan culture, many people believe in "Al Baraka," which refers to a type of spiritual energy that occurs when families join together to eat, according to a 2013 article published in "Morocco World News." This means that some Moroccans eat collectively, even going so far as to share food from common bowls. While some people in Morocco dish food onto individual plates from a bowl placed on the table, it's part of the eating culture for everyone to take bites from the same dish without placing it on a plate.

If you love spicy, aromatic foods, then Moroccan meals are for you. Rich in healthy spices including cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and caraway, local ingredients, such as olives, figs, and dates, are often used to prepare lamb and poultry stews. The Chef Amanda Mouttaki notes, " Moroccan food is known for the complex blending of spices, slow-cooked home-cooked meals, and generous portions. But that doesn’t mean you have to have loads of extra time to make a delicious Moroccan meal." 

Here is Amanda's Moroccan salad recipe:

 

MOROCCAN CARROT, CHICKPEA, DRIED FRUIT AND ALMOND SALAD
Barely adapted from 101Cookbooks
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
For the dressing:
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/3 cup olive oil
2-3 Tbs fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste

For the salad:
2 large carrots
2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed if they´re from a can
6 dried apricot halves(or mangoes), sliced
4 black dried figs(or dates), sliced
¼ to 1/3 cup sliced, toasted almonds
Fresh mint and dill, coarsely torn or left whole

Directions:

For the dressing:

In a skillet, heat seeds over low heat for 1 or 2 minutes, until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar or grinder and coarsely grind.

In a jar mix the rest of the dressing ingredients and add the ground seeds. Reserve in the fridge while making the salad.

For the salad:

Peel carrots, and with the vegetable peeler, make long ribbons, letting them fall onto the serving plate. Add chickpeas, a few tablespoons of the dressing and mix lightly with your hands, mounding a bit.

Scatter the dried fruits and herbs on top, drizzle more dressing, add toasted almonds and serve.