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Rabat – If a Moroccan friend invites you to attend Ed Al Adha celebrations, don’t you dare say no!
The feast is one of two Islamic holidays celebrated across the world annually.
Besides the importance of Eid Al Adha in Islam, the atmosphere of the celebration differs from one country to another. In Morocco, citizens feel the vibes of Eid Al Adha weeks before as equipment needed for the celebration inundates Moroccan souqs, including knives, barbecue grills, and skewers.
Eid Al Adha is also when the chef of every home in Morocco amazes his or her family with the best dishes. The first day is typical as most Moroccan houses prepare the same meals: entrails, or tkalia, and grilled lamb’s liver, “boulfaf.”
When the procedure of sheep skinning and slaughtering is over, mothers, daughters, and sons help to clean sheep intestines used to prepare the famous traditional tkalia.
While some people may find the idea of eating sheep entrails a little stomach churning, this is a staple in most Moroccan homes. Using the entrails means nothing is wasted.
When cleaned thoroughly, with lots of water, the preparation starts. The main ingredients to prepare the traditional meal are stomach, intestines, lungs, and spleen. Women usually cut all of the ingredients into square inches.
The first phase is putting the main ingredients in the pressure cooker to boil for approximately15 minutes in water and salt. Later, the cook will reduce the quantity of water and leave only what is needed for the sauce.
Of course, the spices are the main key for every delicious bite, and tkalia includes all the colorful ones.
The cook uses black pepper, cumin, salt, garlic, turmeric powder, red pepper, chili, coriander, olive, and vegetable oil and leaves to simmer until it is ready for serving it with homemade bread or mekhmar (flatbread).
Tkalia is not only served during Eid Al Adha, but it is also served on normal days. The taste, however, differs as the atmosphere of celebrations can have a special influence on the food you eat.
Delicious barbecue smoke
Be prepared to smell delicious smoke from the barbecue grills out of almost all the houses. In addition to tkalia, most of the Moroccan people also prepare grilled lamb liver, known as boulfaf.
If you are suffering from high cholesterol or blood pressure, it is preferable to avoid this meal as the liver is usually covered with sheep fat. The dish is not so difficult in terms of preparation.
The cook will need two main ingredients: fat and livers. Traditionally, the cook will put the liver in a barbecue grill until it is semi-cooked.
Later, the cook will cut the liver into inches and wrap them in sheep fat, before threading them onto a skewer. Each skewer can include five to six pieces which can be so sufficient. The dish is usually served with red chilli pepper, cumin, and salt.
Moroccan tea is also one of the key elements used in Eid Al Adha. It can be served either before or after the food to help digest these delicious delicacies.
