"Harcha" by Naomi Curtis
This is a harcha recipe I learned from a wonderful family I met in Fez. I watched the mom cook the harcha as my friends and I helped. She didn’t give us a recipe or announce any measurements, but I watched and took note of what I thought she was doing. I had eaten a lot of harcha by this point, and it had become one of my favorite breakfast items along with some Kiri a la crème and some fresh orange juice. Since I’ve been home, I’ve been thinking about all of the times I had this breakfast and how I should’ve been more grateful.
The first time I had harcha the right way (with kiri) was when I had breakfast with my roommate, Oumaïma, for the first time. I was still getting used to AUI and how the dining halls worked and what to eat. At my host family, I had A LOT of msemen and tea, but I wanted to try something new. She ordered first, and I copied - I am so happy I did. It became my go-to order in the mornings and it reminds me of my time in Morocco and being in the mid-Atlas Mountains’ crisp air. Being at a university, I felt more disconnected from the food I ate and it lost some of its meaning. So, when I cooked and ate with the family, I felt so much more connected to the meal. And this being one of the first meals I ate with my roommate makes it all the more meaningful.
My time in Morocco was brief, and I didn’t get to learn a lot about the nuances of meals and the food itself, but I valued my time there. I will definitely be making this recipe as soon as I can, and I hope it tastes somewhat like harcha.
Ingredients:
*Disclaimer: The wonderful woman who taught me this recipe did not give exact measurements of the ingredients, so I have taken the liberty to do some research online and estimate the correct amounts. I don’t think it will be as good as hers, but I’ll do my best.
1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil
2 cups of Semolina
1/2 tsp of Baking Powder
1 Tbsp of Salt
1-2 Tbsp of Honey
1/2 - 3/4 cup of Warm Water
Directions:
In a bowl, mix semolina, salt, vegetable oil, and honey with your hands.
Add water slowly, using your hands to make sure it’s incorporated thoroughly.
Shape the dough into a ball. It can be slightly sloppy but also slightly hard.
Get a big, heavy pan and cover the bottom with semolina.
Heat the pan over medium heat.
Place all of the dough on the pan and flatten the dough.
Sprinkle the top of the dough with semolina.
Let cook 7-10 minutes until the top starts to change color and then flop gently.
The two sides should be nicely golden with some dark brown patches.
Enjoy with kiri, honey, Moroccan olive oil, or whatever you like!
