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Moroccan Food Trivia by Lane Fisher

Moroccan Food Trivia by Lane Fisher

Welcome to a comprehensive Moroccan food trivia! Try to guess what the food name is and find out if you were right by hovering over the image and read some fun facts about it. Good luck and bessaha wa raha (bon appetit, to your health) !

Any idea what this iconic dish is called?

It’s couscous! This traditional Maghrebi dish is typically made and eaten on a particular day of the week (or for special occasions). In the US grocery stores sell it in instant-form, but in Morocco my host mother wakes up at the crack of dawn to steam, steam again, and re-steam these grains into a mountain of fluffy deliciousness. It is served with meats, vegetables, and sometimes with caramelized onions and raisins (called Tfaya), or even made as a desert! Photo Credit: L. Fisher, Spring 2019

What about this delicious deep fried treat?

You guessed it - it’s sfeng. This deep fried Moroccan delicacy is a must-eat when in Morocco. According to my host mother they were originally made accidentally, a ball of dough dropped in hot oil that resulted in a snack served with cheese, honey, sugar, or olive oil. Be careful when you get hungry though, they are only made in the early mornings and late evenings!

Is your mouth watering yet?

Mmm… msemen. This typical Moroccan breakfast bread, usually served with oils, honey, cheese, or stuffed with spices or meat. The dough is kneaded, stretched, and layered so that when it is cooked on a griddle it becomes a flakey, doughy, delicious pancake-like treat. Photo Credit: L. Fisher, Spring 2019

How sweet it is. Any clue what this is used for?

Who knew sugar could come in this form?? This forearm long ‘cone’ was brought home by my host mother who then whipped out a hammer and, with powder flying all around her, broke apart the sugar cone with ease into similar size chunks which she then popped into the teapot. My roommate and I succeeded only in making small dents and dousing ourselves in powder. Photo Credit: L. Fisher, Spring 2019

Forget #TacoTuesday…

#TagineTuesday or bust! This traditional Maghrebi dish is named after the cooking pot used, a cone-like form that allows moisture to descend to the bottom, conserving water. Otherwise called marqa in the Middle East, this dish differs depending on region and can be served with vegetables, various meats, and sauces and is scooped up with bread. Photo Credit: L. Fisher, Spring 2019

Pardon, monsieur. Could I order…

Des escargots (snails)! This Moroccan street food is unlike it’s French expensive/elite-counterpart. Cooked in a soup of spices and herbs, this dish can be found in the medinas of Moroccan cities, although most people have eaten them in Jemaa El Fna in Marrakech. Photo Credit: L. Fisher, Spring 2019

Lane Fisher is a student at George Washington University and is currently on the Regional Studies in French program in Rabat, Morocco.

"How to Make a Moroccan Tagine" by Jaycee Miller

"How to Make a Moroccan Tagine" by Jaycee Miller

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"Adventures Outside of Amman, Jordan" by Ciara Tenney