AFRICA
Morocco is home to one of the world’s greatest cuisines. Making the most of seasonal ingredients, dishes are a mix of influences forged over the centuries, including Berber, Jewish, Arab and French.
Here are Morocco's top food experiences.
Tagine
Tagines, named after the conical clay cooking pot they’re cooked in, are on every Moroccan menu, from roadside cafes to palatial dining rooms.
It’s a stew of tender meat and vegetables in a blend of spices, sometimes with the addition of olives and preserved fruit, and is always served with bread.
Try the kefta variety, where lamb or beef mince is rolled into balls, cooked in a tomato and onion sauce, and topped with an egg.
Couscous
Dating back to the 13th century, couscous is Morocco's quintessential dish. It’s traditionally a time-consuming process, where semolina grain is laboriously hand rolled before being steamed.
When the grains are plump and fluffy, it’s served piled high with meat and vegetables, nuts and dried fruit.
It’s usually prepared on Fridays, the Muslim holy day, and for weddings, funerals and at the end of Ramadan.
Salads
Moroccan meals often begin with a vegetarian-friendly spread of colourful small salads, raw and cooked, hot and cold, and perfect for sharing.
Dishes include salade marocaine, finely chopped tomatoes, onions and cucumber; or a smoked aubergine dip called zaalouk, seasoned with garlic, paprika and cumin.
There’s also finely grated carrots with freshly squeezed orange juice; courgette purée; taktouka, a cooked tomato and roasted pepper salad, and plump, local olives.