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Join on Telegram Rabat – Every region in Morocco boasts unique and extraordinary traditions in terms of culture, culinary rituals, and diversity.
Today, we are dropping anchor in Tetouan, northern Morocco or the “white pigeon,” as region is known by tourists. Tetouan contains several charming cities, including Martil, Fnideq, and M’diq all of which are magnets for travelers.
If visiting the region, don’t hesitate to take a moment to try some of the well-known snacks and specialties that you can enjoy even on a budget.
Here is a selection of the most delicious food and snacks on budget, it may even give you a reason to travel to northern Morocco, if you needed another one
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By sampling this list, there is no reason to invest too much money on food as it includes a range of snacks that are largely affordable. MAD 10 can help you taste all of them at once – only recommended for travelers with a strong stomach!
The one and only Kaliente
Karan is also known as karantica or kaliente depending on the region. For example, people in east Morocco, including Oujda call it Karan, while in central Morocco they call it Karantika. This is one of the most popular snacks in northern Morocco. It is also popular across Morocco, but the taste varies from one region to another.
Tourists and visitors can have the opportunity to taste kaliente next to the beach in Martil or its souqs, where vendors offer their warm and tasty kaliente. A slice for MAD 2 or 3 can sate your hunger as one serving has enough carbs and fiber.
Karan is made with chickpea flour, oil, and eggs and is served warm with cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper lending it a spicy flavour. Some people prefer kaliante in bread, which can be eaten as a sandwich with tuna.
Hummuss & Ghoulal
Chickpea hummus is one of the most famous Moroccan snacks, and is a well-known draw for tourists. Although it is affordable across Morocco, the taste differs from one region to another. In northern Morocco, you can find vendors offering one pot for MAD 2. The water in which the chickpeas is soaked is also part of the taste. It is served with spices cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, and fenugreek. The vendor will usually ask whether customers want to eat their hummus with ghoulal water.
The hummus vendor will traditionally have a large pot of “ghoulal” in his wheeled vehicle.
Moroccan snails also known as babouch, ghlala or (ghoulal in Tetouan) are also a delicious snack that you can enjoy on the love. While Marrakech’ Jamaa El Fna square is the most famous spot for snails, the dish is very popular and sold in every part in Morocco.
The main ingredient for this dish is snails, but the taste requires a lot of specific spices, including bitter orange peel, licorice root, sweet and spicy pepper, mint, salt, and other ingredients. Vendors usually sell one pot of babouch for MAD 5 or 3 depending on your request.
Northern minty breakfast
When in Tetouan, do not miss the opportunity to try the famous northern breakfast with a large cup of sweet minty tea. In Martil, almost all cafes in the street will offer the breakfast, which includes fried eggs, black olives, cold meat, cottage cheese and other kinds of cheese, either melted in the fried eggs or with crunchy morning bread. The meal can work by itself, but is completed by a large cup of sweet mint tea. The whole meal is available for less than MAD 25.
Sardins and bessara duo
While seafood meals are part of the region’s cuisine, do not underestimate the cheapest goods in the region. One should never miss the opportunity to try barbecued salty sardines and a bowl of bessara, known as payssar in northern Morocco.
Bessara and hot barbecued Sardins served! Photo Credit: Morocco World News
The main recipes for payssar are either peas or dried fava beans (broad bean). The taste is even better with a generous addition of garlic, lemon juice, and a few spoonfuls of olive oil. It is usually served either as a soup or in pureed form with paprika, cumin, and harissa (hot sauce).
Moroccan donuts
While sampling these regional delicacies, do not forget to take advantage of the sunny weather and the fabulous beaches in the region. The beaches are also a place where some of the famous summer snacks are served, including Moroccan donuts.
The fried sweet donuts are usually sold for MAD 2 or 1. There are two kinds of donuts, one with sugar added, and the original one called “sfenj.”
