Fez - Many non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Ramadan, the month of fasting, is a time to avoid visiting Morocco. In fact, exploring Morocco during the month of Ramadan is a great opportunity to experience every aspect of Moroccan daily life.
Fez – Many non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Ramadan, the month of fasting, is a time to avoid visiting Morocco. In fact, exploring Morocco during the month of Ramadan is a great opportunity to experience every aspect of Moroccan daily life.
Though Ramadan is associated with fasting in Morocco, as in many other Islamic countries, it is, in fact, a wonderful time to experience the special traditional Moroccan delicacies that are prepared especially during this holy month.
Although many Moroccan restaurants may be closed, many other Moroccan restaurants serving those who are not fasting offer the delicious traditional food ritual served at home in Ramadan. Ramadan is the ideal time to taste all these exotic Moroccan specialties at their very best.
Harira is on the top of the list. Harira, a hearty national soup with many different variations, depending on restaurants and regions, is a staple of breaking the fast during ftour. Harira is frequently served with bowls of dates, chebakia or griwech (sweet wafers cooked in honey), hardboiled eggs sprinkled with salt and cumin, and of course special Moroccan bread.
Other typical Ramadan dishes in Moroccan restaurants include: M’semen (flat layered bread coated with honey and Smen-reserved natural butter); Baghrir (a light and bubbly Moroccan pancake that is sort of a cross between an American “English muffin” and an English “crumpet”), Harsha (a special mixture of semolina and natural oil), Meskouta (a Moroccan cake that is made from flour, eggs, milk and other ingredients), and Selou or sfouf (a dry sweet almond and Smen mixture ground with flour).
Chefs from Moroccan restaurants go from place to place demonstrating their culinary skills in other specialties such as Briouates (triangular phyllo pastry stuffed with shrimp or meat or a sweet filling), Caab ghzal (“the horn of a gazelle,” an almond paste filled cookie), and, of course, Morocco’s national drink, mint tea. Other amazing juices are made from avocados, oranges, apples or bananas.
This does not mean that the most notable Moroccan dishes are not available. To the contrary, dishes such as Couscous, Tajine, Tanjia (red meat and preserved lemons slow-cooked in a special clay pot), Meshoui (roasted lamb), Bastilla (a chicken, almond, seafood pie), Ferakh Maamer (chicken filled with almond), delicious Kefta (meatballs), Milina (chicken and eggs), Boulfaf (calf’s liver), Lahzina (salad made from oranges, paprika and black olives), Mourouzia (lamb, raisins, almond and honey), Mqualli (chickens and lemon), and finally, the mouth-watering Khlea (eggs cooked with a mixture of preserved meat and ghee) also on the menus at the majority of Moroccan restaurants.
So do not put off a visit to Morocco just because it is Ramadan. Visiting the kingdom during Ramadan is one of the best times to taste all of the exotic dishes Morocco has to offer, especially those that are only prepared during the holy month. Do not hesitate to come!!
Edited by Elisabeth Myers
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