Morocco is a country situated in the northern parts of Africa and lies to the extreme west of the Maghreb region. Since the Atlantic and the Mediterranean oceans border it on two sides, fish is a staple food item in the region and it lays a vital part in Moroccan cuisine.
The history of the country is similar to the other nations of Northern Africa that started of as Berber but eventually became Arabic. It was also a Spanish and a French colony; all of these cultures have left their impact on the gastronomical tradition of the country. Moroccan cuisine has encompassed the flavors from many other countries for instance the use of saffron like the Spaniards, and the use ginger, almonds and walnut like the Arabs.
The staple food of the country is couscous which is generally served with a meat, fish, chicken or vegetable stew. Moroccan cuisine is often considered to be among the most celebrated types of cuisines in the world. With its extraordinary combination of various aromas and sometimes two opposing flavors like sweet and sour, the cuisine is quite simply a heavenly fare.
Here are two very popular recipes that are not only local but also internationals favorites
To prepare the tagine chicken in tomatoes and honey you will need
Ingredients:
3 whole chicken breasts with the bone, keep the skin on and split in two
2 onions, peeled and chopped finely
6 cloves of garlic
1 stick of cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger, ground
Saffron a generous pinch
2kg very ripe tomatoes, peel then after blanching and cut roughly into large chunks
1 heaped tbsp of honey dark
juice of 1 lemon
black pepper
salt
olive oil for frying
Preparation: Start by heating a large pan and pouring some olive oil in it. Once the oil is hot put the chicken breasts in and brown them all over. If the chicken is ready, remove it from the pan and set it aide. Now add the onions and fry till golden brown, add some garlic and the other spices to the onion, fry this mixture for two minutes and then add the blanched chopped tomato and use saffron to season it liberally
You will have to cook the gravy over high heat till the tomatoes soften and break down to release their juices. Once the tomatoes look cooked reduce the heat and add the browned chicken breast to the gravy. Simmer the dish for an hour till the meat is juicy and tender. Now once again you have t remove the chicken and transfer it to a serving dish
But the sauce will have to be cooked till it caramelizes, once you get the desired consistency, add the saffron, lemon juice and the honey. Let the sauce cook for another five minutes, stir constantly to avoid burning. Finally, add a dash of seasoning and pour the prepared sauce over the chicken breasts
The next dish is the deliciously sweet Moroccan Harost Balls made with sulatanas, dates and nuts
To make this dish you will need
100g raisins
100g walnuts
400g pitted dates
100g Sultanas
1 2 tbsp sweet red wine
Preparation: This dish barely takes a few minutes prepare but once you serve it your guest will marvel at the intricate tastes and the sophistication of the shish.
Star by adding the dates, raisins, sultanas and walnuts to a food processor now you have to process the ingredients till they are finely chopped and are sticking together to form a mass. Add some sweet wine to make a nice sticky mixture.
Take a baking sheet and use some greaseproof paper to line it, now drop small rounded spoon full of the date and walnut mixture on to it. Once on the sheet roll the mixture into balls the size of hazelnuts place these in the refrigerator and let them cool for at least 3 hours before serving them to your guest.
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