Maghreb cuisine is the cooking of the Maghreb region, the northwesternmost part of Africa along the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of the countries of Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. Well-known dishes from the region include couscous , pastilla , tajine and shakshouka .
The cuisine of the Maghreb, the western region of North Africa, includes that of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya, is by origin a mixture of Arabian, Berber and Mediterranean cuisines, with historic influences from Ottoman and European cuisines. [1] [2] [3] The cuisines of Algeria, Tunisia and Libya and Morocco have also been influenced by French and Italian cuisine respectively. [1] [4] [5] [6]
In Maghrebi cuisine, the most common staple foods are wheat (for khobz bread [7] and couscous [8] ), [9] fish, seafood, goat, [10] lamb, [10] beef, [10] dates, almonds, olives and various vegetables and fruits.
Because the region is predominantly Muslim, halal meats are usually eaten. Most dishes are spiced. [11]
The use of legumes, nuts, fruits and spices is very prominent. [10] Salt-preserved lemons (l'hamd mrakad) and so-called "oil-cured" olives are distinctive elements of the cuisine. [9]
The best-known Maghrebi dish abroad is couscous, [12] made from wheat semolina. [11] The tajine , a cooking vessel made of clay, is also a common denominator in this region, although the dishes and preparation methods vary widely. For example, a tajine in Tunisia is a baked quiche-like dish, [13] whereas in Morocco it is a slow-cooked stew. [14] Pastilla is also an important Andalusian dish of the region. [15]
Spices found in this region's cuisine are ginger, allspice, caraway, saffron, paprika, cloves, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and turmeric. [16] Fresh peppermint, parsley, or coriander are also very common. Spice mixtures such as ras el hanout , baharat , and chili pastes like harissa (especially in Tunisia) are frequently used as well.
Couscous is a traditional North African dish of small steamed granules of rolled semolina that is often served with a stew spooned on top. Pearl millet, sorghum, bulgur, and other cereals are sometimes cooked in a similar way in other regions, and the resulting dishes are also sometimes called couscous.
Moroccan cuisine is the cuisine of Morocco, fueled by interactions and exchanges with many cultures and nations over the centuries. Moroccan cuisine is usually a mix of Arab, Berber, Andalusi, and Mediterranean cuisines, with minimal European and sub-Saharan influences. Like the rest of the Maghrebi cuisine, Moroccan cuisine has more in common with Middle Eastern cuisine than with the rest of Africa.
A tajine or tagine is a North African dish, named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. It is also called maraq or marqa.
Mediterranean cuisine is the food and methods of preparation used by the people of the Mediterranean Basin. The idea of a Mediterranean cuisine originates with the cookery writer Elizabeth David's book, A Book of Mediterranean Food (1950) and was amplified by other writers working in English.
Chermoula or charmoula is a marinade and relish used in Algerian, Libyan, Moroccan and Tunisian cooking. It is traditionally used to flavor fish or seafood, but it can be used on other meats or vegetables. It is somewhat similar to the Latin American chimichurri.
African cuisine is a staple of the continent's culture, and its history is entwined with the story of the native people of Africa. The foods that native Africans eat have been influenced by their religions, as well as by their climates and lifestyles. The first Africans to inhabit the continent were hunter-gatherers who ate what they could find in nature. As agriculture became more common in Africa, so did agriculture-based diets.
Arab cuisine is the cuisine of the Arab world, defined as the various regional cuisines of the Arab people, spanning from the Maghreb to the Mashriq. These cuisines are centuries old and reflect the culture of trading in ingredients, spices, herbs, and commodities. The regions have many similarities, but also unique traditions. They have also been influenced by climate, cultivation, and mutual commerce.
Pastilla is a meat or seafood pie in Maghrebi cuisine made with warqa dough (ورقة), which is similar to filo. It is a specialty of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, where its variation is known as malsouka. It has more recently been spread by emigrants to France, Israel, and North America.
Shakshouka is a Maghrebi dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion, and garlic, commonly spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. Shakshouka is a popular dish throughout North Africa and the Middle East.
Sephardic Jewish cuisine, belonging to the Sephardic Jews—descendants of the Jewish population of the Iberian Peninsula until their late 15th-century expulsion—encompassing traditional dishes developed as they resettled in the Ottoman Empire, North Africa, and the Mediterranean, including Jewish communities in Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Syria, as well as the Sephardic community in the Land of Israel. It may also refer to the culinary traditions of the Western Sephardim, who settled in Holland, England, and from these places elsewhere. The cuisine of Jerusalem, in particular, is considered predominantly Sephardic.
Tunisian cuisine, the cuisine of Tunisia, consists of the cooking traditions, ingredients, recipes and techniques developed in Tunisia since antiquity. It is mainly a blend of Mediterranean and native Punic-Berber cuisine. Historically, Tunisian cuisine witnessed influence and exchanges with many cultures and nations like Italians, Andalusians, French and Arabs.
Ratatouille is a French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables that originated in Nice and is sometimes referred to as ratatouille niçoise. Recipes and cooking times differ widely, but common ingredients include tomato, garlic, onion, courgette (zucchini), aubergine, capsicum, and some combination of leafy green herbs common to the region, such as chives or fennel.
The cuisine of Libya is a mix of Berber, Arab and Mediterranean cuisines with Ottoman and Italian influence. One of the most popular Libyan dishes is bazin, an unleavened bread prepared with barley, water and salt. Bazin is prepared by boiling barley flour in water and then beating it to create a dough using a magraf, which is a unique stick designed for this purpose.
The Algerian Cuisine is a delightful blend of flavors and influences, reflecting the country's rich history and position at the crossroads of the Mediterranean.
Mizrahi Jewish cuisine is an assortment of cooking traditions that developed among the Mizrahi Jewish communities of the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. Influenced by the diverse local culinary practices of countries such as Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, and Syria, Mizrahi cuisine prominently features rice, legumes, meats, and an array of spices such as cumin, turmeric, and coriander. Signature dishes include kubbeh (dumplings), pilafs, grilled meats, and stews like hamin.
Harissa is a hot chili pepper paste, native to the Maghreb. The main ingredients are roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers (بقلوطي), spices and herbs such as garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin and olive oil to carry the oil-soluble flavors.
Western Saharan cuisine comprises the cuisine of Western Sahara, a disputed territory in the Maghreb region of North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the extreme northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The Western Saharan cuisine has several influences, as the population of that area (Sahrawi), in their most part are of Arabic and Berber origin. The Saharawi cuisine is also influenced by Spanish cuisine owing to Spanish colonisation.
Tajine Zitoun or Tajine El Zitoune or Tagine Zitoune or Olive Tajine is a traditional Algerian stew from the city of Algiers. It is named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked, a tajine pot. Tajine zitoun typically includes lamb, turkey or chicken and olives as the main ingredient, often also with some combination of onions, carrots, mushrooms or other vegetables, and is often seasoned with thyme, bay leaves, lemon juice, and saffron or turmeric. In Constantine, Algeria, the savory dish could be chicken or beef tongue simmered with only olives and mushrooms, or meatballs broken down, then cooked in sauce with mushrooms and olives.
The Moroccan Jewish cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Jewish community of Morocco. combines elements of the local Moroccan cuisine, the culinary traditions brought by Jews from other locations to Morocco, and the Jewish dietary laws (kashrut). Generally, there is some overlap between Jewish and their Muslim neighbors' cuisine in Morocco. The distinction between the two is primarily based on kashrut and finding kosher solutions for traditional dishes.
The cuisine of North Africa, including Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia, blends Arabian influence with the traditional regional Berber cuisine, the original inhabitants of North Africa west of the Nile. This area also had many influences from various Mediterranean invaders and European traders and travelers, evident through various ingredients and cooking methods still in use today.
Maghreb cuisine is a mixture of Mediterranean, Arab and Berber traditions with a range of historical influences from European colonialism and Ottoman expansion.
North Africa's best-known dish has become one of the most widely consumed foods in France. These days, even ordinary neighborhood bistros often feature a couscous special one day of the week.
Does this most famous of all Moroccan dishes actually need to be cooked in a real tagine?
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