Morocco Food and Drink
Food
The cuisine of Morocco is characterized by Berber, Moorish and Arab influences while using a large array of fruits and vegetables typical of Mediterranean coastlines. Dishes in Morocco tend to be more spiced than others in the Middle East with popular flavours including cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger, pepper, saffron and paprika. Common meats used in Moroccan cooking are beef, mutton and lamb, chicken, camel, rabbit and of course, seafood.
Popular dishes include:
Tajine: Tajine is a meal as well as the name of the earthenware dish the meal is cooked. Traditionally, they involve stews made of a combination of lamb, chicken or fish with onions, olives, almonds, tomatoes, herbs and dried fruit. The method of cooking involved in a tajine is braising at low temperatures which results in very tender meat.
Couscous: This is a staple of Moroccan cuisine and is a dish of semolina that is served with meat or vegetable stew. Couscous can be served on its own or as an accompaniment. Seffa is a couscous-based dessert in which couscous is sprinkled with almonds, cinnamon and sugar. Seffa is usually served with milk that is flavoured with orange flower water or can be served with buttermilk (variations depend on region).
Pastilla: This dish is usually a starter that combines sweet and salty flavours. It is made up of a fine flaky pastry that is stuffed with pigeon and almonds, cinnamon and sugar. It can also be stuffed with fish or chicken.
Dishes for Ramadan: Being a predominantly Muslim country, many Moroccans observe Ramadan. At sunset, the fasting is broken and harira is served. Harira is a soup made with a combination of meat, lentils and chickpeas. The soup is served with honeycombed pancakes or with shebakia which are cakes turned in oil and then covered in honey.
Drink
The most popular drink in Morocco is green tea with mint. Throughout Morocco, making good tea is considered an art form and it is considered a tradition to drink tea often with family and friends. Tap water is drinkable in most places in Morocco, however, bottled water is safer and is also readily available and cheap to purchase. Although Morocco is a Muslim country, it is not completely dry and many places have alcohol licenses. Heineken is the most popular important beer however, there are three local beers: Casablanca, Stork and Flag. Despite having a more relaxed attitude towards alcohol, drinking in public is frowned upon and drinking near a mosque is considered very rude and should not happen.
Things to know:
If service was satisfactory, tipping is expected. If it is a small cheque, around 5 Dirhams should suffice while with larger bills around 10% is standard.
Morocco Travel Information
At Goway we believe that a well-informed traveller is a safer traveller. With this in mind, we have compiled an easy-to-navigate travel information section dedicated to Morocco.
Learn about the history and culture of Morocco, the must-try food and drink, and what to pack in your suitcase. Read about Morocco's nature and wildlife, weather and geography, along with 'Country Quickfacts' compiled by our travel experts. Our globetrotting tips, as well as our visa and health information, will help ensure you're properly prepared for a safe and enjoyable trip. The only way you could possibly learn more is by embarking on your journey and discovering Morocco for yourself. Start exploring… book one of our Morocco tours today!
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