Glossary
ALMONDS
Whole, slivered and ground almonds are used in sweet and savoury dishes. If ground almonds (almond meal) are not available, grind slivered or whole almonds in a food processor. Use very fresh, dry almonds, and process as briefly as possible to prevent them from becoming oily; for this reason, slivered almonds are best.
ALMONDS, BLANCHED
Almonds keep better if purchased with skin on and have a better flavour when freshly blanched. To blanch, soak in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and slip off the skins when cool. Leave on a baking tray lined with paper towel until dry and crisp, or put in a slow oven for 5 minutes to dry thoroughly. Refrigerate in a sealed container.
ALMONDS, GREEN
These appear in souks in mid-summer, when the drupe is green and the almond shell is still soft within. They are left to soak in salted water for a day or two, then eaten whole as a snack.
ANISEED
Also known as anise seed, the pale brown seeds have a mild liquorice flavour. It is a popular flavouring and topping for bread. It is also used in sweet, rusk-like toasts called fekkas. Most households have fekkas on hand to have with their morning mint tea.
BROAD (FAVA) BEANS
Only very young fresh, shelled beans are used in tagines; if the beans are more mature, peel them and the reduce cooking time. Dried broad beans are often used to make a bean soup or dip; they need to be first soaked for 48 hours in a cool place, changing the water 3–4 times, and the leathery skins removed before use. Dried, skinned broad beans are sold in North African and Middle Eastern food markets as skinned ful beans and will save time in preparation.
CAPSICUM (PEPPER)
Moroccans use a sweet pepper that is thinner-fleshed, not as broad as a capsicum, and tapering to a point. The Capsicum genus includes chillies.
CHARD
Also known as silverbeet and Swiss chard, it is a member of the beet family. The leaves are bright green and crinkly in texture, with a white rib running through the leaf widening into a stem.
CHICKPEAS
Skinned chickpeas are preferred as they absorb flavours better. Soak chickpeas overnight; the next day, lift up handfuls of chickpeas and rub them between your hands to loosen the skins, then skim the skins off as they float. Cover the chickpeas with fresh water and boil for at least 1 hour, until tender, or add to a stew or soup at the start of cooking. Tinned chickpeas may also be used, with skins removed in the same way. If preferred, leave skins on for all recipes as modern Moroccan cooks do. In terms of measurements, 220 g (8 oz/1 cup) dried chickpeas yields 2½ cups cooked, equivalent to 2 × 420 g (15 oz) tins.
CINNAMON
Finely shaved bark from the cinnamon tree, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, which is interleaved and rolled to form sticks or quills. Both sticks and ground cinnamon are widely used. Ground cinnamon often includes cassia, which is actually from another species of cinnamon tree. Cassia is more reddish-brown than cinnamon and can be used in place of cinnamon sticks; in fact, it is often sold as such. Cinnamon is used in savoury and sweet dishes and pastries.
CORIANDER (CILANTRO)
Essential in Moroccan cooking, fresh coriander has feathery green leaves with a rather pungent flavour. Coriander seeds are ground and used as a spice.
CORN ON THE COB
A popular street food, the sweet corn is cut from the plant, leaving a portion of the stem attached. Cobs are husked with the silk removed and then grilled over a charcoal fire. Before it is handed to the customer, the hot grilled cob is dipped into salted water, which makes it moist and very tasty, with a convenient handle already attached.
CORNMEAL, YELLOW
Dried yellow corn kernels ground to a meal are available in fine, medium and coarse grades from health food stores; choose the medium grade. Do not confuse with polenta, which is a granular form and not used in Morocco. Cornmeal is used to add to bread in rural areas, or for sprinkling on baking trays or on top of loaves to add crunch and flavour.
COUSCOUS
Made with coarse semolina grains and durum wheat flour. Semolina grains are sprinkled with lightly salted water and rolled with flour to form tiny pellets. This is still done by hand by some cooks, but these days machines are used. Both couscous purchased in bulk (regular couscous) and packets of instant couscous require steaming for the grains to swell properly and become light and fluffy. Regular couscous is found in Middle Eastern food stores; in supermarkets couscous is usually instant; if it is marked ‘Maghrebi-style’, it is regular couscous.
COUSCOUSSIER
The French name for the utensil in which couscous is steamed. The base is tall and slightly bulbous, with the steamer section fitted on top for cooking couscous. The traditional couscoussier of tin-lined copper does not have a lid, but the aluminium version usually does. The original couscoussier of the Berbers was earthenware.
CUMIN
With a warm, sweet aroma, yet pungent and earthy, cumin is one of the most popular spices in the region. Always select a darker cumin with a greenish-brown colour and oily texture. For the best flavour, use freshly ground seeds. A mixture of cumin and salt is a favourite condiment; for street food, it accompanies boiled eggs, pieces of mechoui (spit-roasted lamb), lamb kebabs and lamb liver kebabs. At the table, little bowls of the mixture are provided.
FIGS
This remarkable fruit has been important to the Mediterranean region from early days. The fresh fruit, both the purple (black) variety and the green, begins to appear early in summer. The majority of figs are consumed dried and are found in souk stalls strung on dried date-palm fronds like necklaces. The fresh fruit is enjoyed at the end of a meal, the dried for snacking and cooking.
FILO PASTRY
This thin pastry of the Eastern Mediterranean is not Moroccan, but it is the most easily available substitute outside Morocco for warkha pastry. Measurements have been given in the recipes regarding sheet sizes, which will serve as a guide for the size available in your area. However, most important is how it is handled. Thaw as directed on the package if frozen. Whether it is frozen or chilled, it must be left in its package at room temperature for 2 hours before use. Place the sheets flat on the work surface, and keep them covered with dry, folded cloths or plastic sheeting; never put damp cloths in contact with the pastry. Keep the kitchen cool and draught-free.
GINGER
Only dried ginger is used in Moroccan cooking, never fresh. Do not use more than is specified in recipes because too much ginger can impart a bitter taste.
HARISSA
A Tunisian condiment popular in Morocco, harissa is available from gourmet food stores and Middle Eastern markets, or make your own. Use harissa with caution as it is extremely hot.
HONEY
Good Moroccan honeys are thick and aromatic with the flavour of herbs. If you can’t find any Moroccan honey, use Mount Hymettus or other Greek thyme honey. Orange blossom honey is light and fragrant and is readily available.
MERGUEZ
A lamb sausage of Tunisian origin, which is popular in Morocco. It is spiced with harissa, paprika, allspice, fennel, black pepper, cumin and coriander seeds and flavoured with garlic. It is usually very hot, but the degree of heat depends on the manufacturer.
NIGELLA SEEDS
These little black seeds are usually sprinkled on bread before baking, and on steamed chicken. They have little aroma, but have a nutty flavour and are a little peppery. Black cumin seeds and black sesame seeds are often mistakenly called nigella seeds.
OLIVE OIL
Olive oil was, and is, used for salads, but there is an increasing trend in Morocco to replace smen in cooking with olive or other oils in the interests of better health. While specified throughout, as a general rule, extra virgin olive oil is recommended for salads, and the standard olive oil for cooking. Other vegetable oils are usually used for frying – sunflower oil, safflower oil and peanut oil.
ONION
The brown onion is used in most Moroccan cooking. Occasionally white onion is used; red onion is used in salads. Green onion is used as an accompaniment to some soups such as bissara in certain areas.
ORANGE FLOWER WATER
Also called orange blossom water, this is made from a distillation of the flowers of the bitter bigarade (seville) orange. It originated in the Middle East and was introduced to North Africa by the Arabs. Used to flavour beverages, and sweet and savoury food, it is also distilled in the home – see also ‘rosewater’.
PAPRIKIKA
The paprika commonly used in Morocco is Spanish mild paprika. It is used as much for its colour as its flavour. Sweet Hungarian paprika may also be used.
PARSLEY
Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley is used. Alternatively, use curly parsley and include some stalks when chopping to increase its flavour in cooking.
POMEGRANATE
The Moroccans love colour, and the ruby red seeds of the pomegranate are scattered over fruit platters. Pomegranate juice is a favourite drink, and a citrus juicer is the best way to extract it, especially the type that has a hinged press attached. Removing the seeds is tedious as they must be separated from the pith (usually a few hard taps on the outside of a cut pomegranate held over a bowl can accomplish this). Fruit-juice extractors can graze the seeds, giving the juice a bitter flavour. Serve the chilled juice with a little rosewater. The pomegranate syrup sold in Middle Eastern stores is not used in Morocco.
PRESERVED LEMONS
Used in tagines and many Moroccan dishes to give a distinctive flavour. Make your own or buy those that are preserved in the Moroccan manner (without oil) from gourmet food stores or good delicatessens.
PRUNES
The prune is the dried version of various species of the damascene (damson) plum. It is often a substitute for dates in meat and fruit tagines, but is increasingly used in its own right – an intensely flavoured sweet–sour fruit that marries well with spices. Today’s prunes do not need soaking – they are moist and succulent and add a wonderful flavour to Moroccan dishes. While it is an easy (though sticky) task to remove the pits, pitted prunes are readily available.
QUINCE
A popular winter fruit used in tagines. While quince paste is not made in Morocco, it works well in recipes when quinces are not in season.
RAS EL HANOUTUT
A blend of many spices, which vary according to the maker. Some blends are kept a closely guarded secret. You can make your own version or buy a ready-made ground spice mix from gourmet food stores or specialist herb and spice stores.
RICE
Short- or medium-grained rice is preferred. It is used mainly in the north – Tangier, Tetuan and environs – where there is a stronger Spanish influence. However, Moroccans steam rice three times in a couscoussier, or in a colander lined with muslin (cheesecloth) over boiling water. Traditional rice-cooking methods have been used in the recipes.
ROSEWATER
A distillation of fragrant rose petals, originating in Persia and introduced to North Africa by the Arabs. In May, fresh rose petals and rosebuds are sold in souks. Many locals distil their own using an alembic, a superseded distiller that remains in use in Morocco and the Middle East. Where obtainable, orange blossoms (see ‘orange flower water’) are also distilled. It is bottled and kept for 4–5 months before use and claimed to be superior to that made by distilleries. Rosewater is used to flavour beverages as well as sweet and savoury foods.
SAFFRON
The dried stigmas of Crocus sativus, regarded as the world’s most expensive spice. Each flower consists of only three stigmas, which are hand-picked from the flowers, then dried. Introduced by the Arabs, saffron is grown, harvested and processed in Morocco. Threads and ground saffron are used as much for the beautiful yellow colour as for the aroma and flavour. Where a recipe calls for a pinch of ground saffron, use as much as sits on the very tip of a knife, as fingertips would take more than required. Only buy ground saffron from a reliable supplier.
SAFFRON, GROUND
Recipes in this book frequently call for ground saffron threads. To make your own ground saffron, the threads must be crisp. Put threads on a plate, place over boiling water and leave until dry and crisp. Transfer to a small mortar with a good pinch of salt. Using a pestle, pound to a powder.
SEMOLINA
Semolina is the milled inner endosperm of hard or durum wheat, pale beige or yellow in colour and granular in appearance. It can be very fine (almost like a flour), fine or coarse, the latter used in the manufacture of couscous. Fine and coarse semolina are sold as breakfast cereals. Very fine semolina is available at markets selling North African and Middle Eastern ingredients. Do not confuse semolina with semolina flour, which is used in pasta making, and is durum wheat flour.
SESAME SEEDS
Their use dating back some 4,000 years, sesame seeds have been part of the North African diet for millennia. It was the first seed from which oil was extracted for use in food, and while it isn’t used in Morocco, the seeds certainly are. In fact, sesame seeds are a commercial crop. They are used to top Moroccan breads, toasted and sprinkled on savoury foods, toasted and ground to make ghoriba dial janjlane, and sprinkled on many sweet pastries. To toast the seeds, place seeds in a dry frying pan over medium heat. Stir often until lightly toasted, then tip immediately into a shallow dish to prevent them burning. When cool, store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and use as required.
SHERIYA
Couscous is the ‘pasta’ of the Maghreb, however, there is a Moroccan pasta. Sheriya are pellets of dough rolled into thin strips a little thicker than vermicelli. They are usually steamed three times, and gently rubbed in cold water between steamings, then used in stuffings, or simply tossed with butter and served with sugar and cinnamon. However, most cooks these days prefer to crumble vermicelli to add to soups or to use in stuffings.
SMEN
A clarified (drawn) butter with milk solids that have been allowed to brown slightly, giving it a slightly nutty flavour. Ghee can be used as a substitute; in many recipes, butter can also be used. An aged smen is made by the Berbers by storing the smen in an earthenware jar, which is then placed in the cellar or buried for a year or longer until it ages; it has a flavour resembling strong blue cheese.
TAGINE
An earthenware dish with a conical lid, and also the food cooked in this dish. Such food is really a stew or braise.
TANGIA
A pottery vessel shaped like a small amphora. The food cooked in it is also called tangia, known as the bachelor’s dish; young men or soldiers away from home put chunks of meat (beef, lamb or goat) in it, add tomato, preserved lemon, sprigs of coriander (cilantro) and flat-leaf parsley, season and tie on parchment to cover it, making a handle with the string. This is taken to the hammam (bathhouse) furnace to be cooked on the embers for several hours.
YEAST
Active dried yeast is available in bulk or in 8 g (¼ oz) sachets that each measure 2 teaspoons. Always store yeast in a sealed container in the refrigerator. For yeast past its use-by date, dissolve a teaspoon in 125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar and leave it in a warm place for 15 minutes. If the yeast is frothy in this time, it can be used, otherwise discard it and purchase a fresh packet.
ZA’ATAR
The Arabic word for thyme. The Mediterranean climate gives certain wild herbs a pungency and flavour difficult to duplicate with cultivated herbs. If you cannot find dried za’atar from Morocco in food markets, use the dried thyme available at Greek markets or fresh lemon thyme; recipes indicate which substitutes are suitable. Do not confuse this with the Lebanese herb and spice mix of za’atar, used to sprinkle on bread.