Moroccan Cuisine | Recipes | Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

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Moroccan Cuisine

Full of colours and traditions, Morocco has its cultural roots intact and this reflects best in it food. It’s amazing how household recipes from a tiny African nation have managed to make waves across the globe.

 

Read on to find out about the essential ingredients that make Moroccan food a true pleasure to cook and eat.

Preserves that brighten up every meal
The climatic conditions of morocco has resulted in the preserving of a lots of food ingredients. The simple combination of lemon and salt together, work wonders to create these preserved lemons. The salt permeates into the bitter rind making it soft, salty and juicy which adds plenty of character to myriad Moroccan dishes.


Fruits and Nuts for every occasion
Loaded with antioxidants, heart healthy polyphenols and a characteristic tart flavour, olives are indispensible in a Moroccan kitchen, while dates are the national specialty. These fruits and nuts are not just eaten in sweet dishes like we are used to, but are beautifully incorporated into savoury curries and stews as well. Almonds, apricots, prunes and other dried fruits are the little gems which make Moroccan food what it is.


Tagines tales
Cooking in this porus clay pot with a conical top guarantees you a dish which is perfectly cooked, moist and flavourful with brownie points for effortless presentation. The inviting aroma of food bubbling away in a tagine is common throughout Morocco, right from the streets to high end restaurants alike. Try out this Moroccan chicken tagine recipe to clear all doubts you may have about its deliciousness.


Spicy saucy harissa
Harissa sauce has been accepted internationally by spice enthusiasts across the world. The flavours of this classic Moroccan smoked chilli pepper paste can take the blandest of meals to new heights of deliciousness. You can use it as a marinade or blend it along with dips, stews, soups and stir fries.


Healthy staple - Couscous (pronounced – koose koose)
Known as seksu in Morocco, is considered a pasta made of small granules of semolina or wheat flour.  The nutty taste, high protein content and less calories makes it a favourite amongst locals. Couscous cooked in a tagine along with meat and vegetables is every Moroccans comfort food and also a delicious and nutritive meal in its entirety.


Meat lovers paradise
Being situated on the beautiful Mediterranean coast means a bounty of fish and other seafood. Lamb and Poultry are the preferred meats. Olives, dates, prunes and almonds added to meat stews give it a characteristic flavour you can associate only with Mediterranean food. This Moroccan style grilled chicken recipe will transport you to the land of


Local whiskey - Mint tea
Mint tea is a symbol of hospitality in every Moroccan household and must be served to visitors that arrive and is jokingly referred to as the local whiskey! Excessively sweet and served in small glasses, the tradition of drinking tea in Morocco is totally reminiscent of cutting chai scenes in India. It is also poured from a height to create a froth known as the crown.


Sweet scented desserts
Dessert and sweets are usually made with pastry dough. Chebbakia are delicious deep fried cookies dredged in orange blossom scented sugar syrup. It’s tricky to get the flower shape of this cookie right, but is also totally worth the effort. Fresh and dried fruits are also eaten post meals.
With these few things in place whipping up a Moroccan fiesta in your home kitchen is going to be a breeze.


For recipes you have SanjeevKapoor.com.

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MasterChef Sanjeev Kapoor

Chef Sanjeev Kapoor is the most celebrated face of Indian cuisine. He is Chef extraordinaire, runs a successful TV Channel FoodFood, hosted Khana Khazana cookery show on television for more than 17 years, author of 150+ best selling cookbooks, restaurateur and winner of several culinary awards. He is living his dream of making Indian cuisine the number one in the world and empowering women through power of cooking to become self sufficient. His recipe portal www.sanjeevkapoor.com is a complete cookery manual with a compendium of more than 10,000 tried & tested recipes, videos, articles, tips & trivia and a wealth of information on the art and craft of cooking in both English and Hindi.