Moroccan Recipes

Moroccan cuisine is very popular due to the diverse influences of various cultures. This cuisine shows a major influence of the native Berber cuisine. Green tea with mint is one of the most popular drinks seen in this culture. Apart from green tea, one can see a variety of non-vegetarian items and delicious desserts that form an integral part of Moroccan cuisine. Well, if you are hunting for some authentic Moroccan dishes then you can read some interesting recipes given below.

Couscous

The Couscous is one of the oldest of dishes that belong to Moroccan cuisine. Take a look at this interesting recipe.

Ingredients
Water (2 cups)
Olive oil (1 tablespoon)
Fresh orange juice - divided (5 to 6 tablespoons)
Finely grated orange peel (1 teaspoon)
Plain couscous - One 10 ounce box (1-1/2 cups)

Preparation
Take a medium-sized saucepan and mix the following ingredients in it - water (2 cups), orange juice (2 tablespoons) and the finely grated orange peel. Bring all these ingredients to a boil. Then, add the couscous and cover the saucepan for sometime. Remove from heat and let the couscous absorb the liquid completely. Then, add orange juice (2-3 tablespoons) as per taste and sprinkle with some salt and pepper.

Spicy Roasted Vegetable

Ingredients
Olive oil (4 tablespoons)
Shallots - quartered (2 lbs)
Coarse salt (2 lbs)
Ground cumin (4 teaspoons)
Ground coriander (2 teaspoons)
Ground cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
Unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
Sweet potatoes - peeled, cut into portions (2 lbs)
Red bell peppers - cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips (4)
Butternut squash - peeled, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch portions (4 lbs)

Preparation
First, you would need to preheat the oven to 375°F. Then mix the shallots with a tablespoon of oil. Roast it in a baking pan in the oven for at least 25 minutes. Then, mix the bell peppers, salt, squash, sweet potatoes, coriander and cinnamon. Also add the remainder tablespoons of oil along with the cumin. Now, add the roasted shallots. You would need to divide this between 2 large baking pans.

Add around half the quantity of butter set aside. Then, roast this in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. You may need to switch off the oven occasionally to stir the same. Also remember to switch the position of the pans. Once the vegetables turn tender, this dish is ready to be served!

Moroccan Fish

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil (1/4 cup)
Ground cumin (3/4 teaspoon)
Drained capers (1-1/2 tablespoons)
Cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon)
Stewed tomatoes - chopped (1 can - 15-ounce)
Hake/halibut fillet - 1-inch thick (4 pieces - 6 ounces)

Preparation
Take a heavy skillet and heat some cumin in oil over medium heat. Ensure you keep stirring this occasionally. Then, add some tomatoes along with the capers and cinnamon. Sprinkle around 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer while its kept uncovered. Keep stirring occasionally till the preparation thickens for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat the fish dry and add some salt and pepper and place it in the skillet. Cover the same and cook the fish for around 10 minutes. Serve hot!
By Kashmira Lad


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