Gastronomy in Morocco

Country’s cuisine is influenced by the Africans, Arabs, Berber, Jews, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean flavors , and Moorish. Morocco produces a huge range of Mediterranean vegetables, fruits and also cattle, seafood, sheep and poultry as base for their cuisine.

Most common spices that give flavor to the food are anise seed (used in cookies and breads), cumin (most flavored spice and usually used in chicken, lamb and meats), ginge (used in several stews), paprika (used in vegetable and tomato dishes), sesame seed (usually used in desserts and breads) and turmeric (usually used in harira soup).

The national dish of the country is couscous, which is served with vegetables and meat. It is one of the most recognized North African dishes worldwide. Other well-known Moroccan dishes are boulfaf (cooked with garlic, calf liver and lamb crépine), ferakh maamer (cooked with chicken), harira (soup), kefta (prepared with meatballs), khlea (preserved meat with egg), mechoui (roasted lamp), pastilla (cooked with chicken, seafood and almonds), tajine (prepared with meat and vegetable), and tanjia (preserved lemons and red meat).

Seasonal fruits are usually served at the last part of meals. Common desserts are kaab el ghzal (a pastry with almond paste and sugar on topped), rice pudding (prepared with milk, rice and orange blossom water), limun bel-qerfa (oranges/cinnamon), sellu (roasted flour with butter, almonds, cinnamon, honey), shebakia (fried "cookie" bread dipped in sesame seeds and honey) and zucre coco (coconut fudge cakes).

The common beverages found in the country are beet juice (orange blossom water and beets), grape juice (white grapes), green tea (tea/mint), 'Asseer Limun (orange juice) and 'Asseer Rumman (orange blossom water/ pomegranate).