Moroccan Food Glossary
Helpful descriptions for Moroccan spices, ingredients and dishes.
Beghrir
Traditional Moroccan pancakes usually served sweet for breakfast or deserts.
Bistella
Traditional Moroccan pie with chicken and a light pastry.
Chermoula
Chermoula is a traditional marinade for fish and is the base for many Moroccan fish dishes.
Cous Cous
International Moroccan dish made from hand-rolled semolina, with variety of garden vegetables and Moroccan spices. Served plain or topped with a choice of either chicken, or lamb and beef.
Gazelle Horns
Traditional Moroccan Almond pastry Dessert
Harira
Traditional Moroccan soup with chick peas, saffron, fresh herbs and spices.
Makkouda
Moroccan potato patties seasoned with herbs and spices.
Mhancha
Traditional Moroccan pastry
Msemen
Pan fried square Traditional Moroccan pancakes usually eaten for breakfast sweetened with butter and honey. They can also be stuffed with both savoury ingredients for a delicious snack.
Pastilla
Chicken or Pigeon in a rich lemon sauce, layered between fine layers of pastry
Ras el Hanout
A traditional aromatic Moroccan spice blend.
Smen
Salted fermented butter used widely in Moroccan cooking, similar to ghee. There are different maturities of smen, with the older, the stronger the smell.
Tagine
Traditional North African slow-cooked stew, which can be made with vegetables meat or fish. ‘Tagine’ refers to both the dish and the clay pot in which it is cooked and served.
Zaalouk
Traditional Moroccan salad of cooked mixture of eggplant, tomatoes cooked until the consistency of a puree. Served both hot and cold.