A heady sniff of Morocco

Spices and perfumed waters add a fragrant slice to the cuisine, which is known for its elegance and taste.

Did someone call the UAE a melting pot of cultures? Well, this country is also brimming over with good food … the myriad delectable cuisines its diverse communities are bringing to the table.

So what is the food, the many people in the UAE eat at home, like? What are the recipes they cook on their special occasions? What are the secret ingredients that make their food exotic?

Where, if you want to savour them, will you find their dishes about town? And finally, what are the chefs saying about cooking up that storm?

Unwind takes you on a culinary journey across many mouth-watering preparations.

This week, food from Morocco …

Moroccan writer Edmond Amran el Maleh describes Moroccan cuisine as "the perfumed soul of their culture" - a unique blend of African, Arabian and European influences resulting in a cuisine characterised by its subtle scents, delicate flavours and elegant presentation.

Moroccan cuisine is often reputed to be one of the best in the world, with countless dishes and variations proudly bearing the country's colonial and Arabic influences.

Morocco - the name itself evokes exotic images. Moroccan cuisine has strong roots in tradition. The sharing of meals is an integral part of the culinary experience as there is a strong sense of family and tribe.

Moroccan food is one of the most sensuous in the world. It appeals directly to the senses of smell, sight and taste in a way that no other cuisine can.

Everyday meals

Soup is a traditional breakfast. Besara, a thick paste made from split peas with a generous dash of olive oil, can be found bubbling away in most homes. Another special is a yeasty semolina pancake with a honeycomb appearance, served with khli or preserved meat.

The Moroccans eat three meals a day, the main meal being around midday. They often begin their meals with a warm, nourishing bowl of harira, a soup made from lentils, chickpeas, lamb stock and vegetables.

A typical meal begins with a simple selection of mezze, which includes a bowl of olives, vegetable salads served with dip and flat bread. The tagine - a spicy stew of meat and vegetables simmered for many hours in a conical clay pot - is served next. Its variations include chicken tagine and prawn tagine. A batinjaan, eggplant or chopped tomato salad, is served as a separate course. Then comes couscous, the national dish, made of semolina and steamed to perfection with each grain separate from the other. This, served with a variety of toppings, such as bastila, a three-layered pie that is both savoury and sweet, wrapped in the thinnest of pastry and mechoui or tender roasted lamb.

This is followed by a mouth-watering dish called kaliya, which is a combination of lamb, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions. Dinner usually ends with a platter of fresh fruits drizzled with some light, rosewater syrup.

Sweets are not always served at the end of a Moroccan meal and if there are any, then a common dessert is kaab el ghzal (gazelle horns) which is a pastry stuffed with almond paste and topped with sugar. Another dessert is honey cakes, which is pretzel-shaped dough deep-fried and dipped in honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Halwa shebakia are cookies eaten during the month of Ramadan and zucre coco are coconut fudge cakes, which is another relished dessert.

Mint tea, known as atay bi nahna, is an integral part of Moroccan hospitality. A steaming glass of the fragrant, sweet, light tea is offered as a sign of welcome to the guests. It is drunk in the mornings, offered throughout the day and served at the end of the meal to aid digestion. Spices are used extensively in Moroccan food. Commonly used are karfa (cinnamon), kamoun (cumin), kharkoum (tumeric), skingbir (ginger), libzar (pepper), tahmira (paprika), anise, sesame, kasbour (coriander), maadnous (parsley) and mint.

Spice Souq on the creek side in Deira is the best place to buy these spices in Dubai.

Ingredients used

Saffron is an integral part of Moroccan cooking and it imparts a unique quality and flavour to any dish. It is the most expensive spice in the world.

Ras el Hanout is an exotic spice blend that can contain up to 50 ingredients and means the "head of the shop" because shop owners create their own unique blend, which can include ginger, anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, dried flowers, mace and turmeric. It is used as marinades and rubs, especially for lamb dishes. Different kinds of fragrant waters are also used. Orange flower water and rosewater are used in cakes, sweets, tagines and salads. The trick with both orange blossom and rose essences is to use very little, to get the hint of the fragrance.

Tips to a typical dinner

This dinner is a simplified version, but it will give you the "feel" of Morocco. This is a delightful dinner to serve your guests. Don't forget to remind your guests to dress comfortably for the evening.

- Use a low table with cushions on the floor and cover the table with a bright brocade cloth. Place floral bouquets around the room, but not on the table.
- Before serving dinner, walk around the table with a silver pitcher filled with warm, scented water.
- Carry a Turkish towel and a small basin. Pour a little water over the hands of each guest in the small basin.
- First, serve tiny kebabs on small plates. After the kebabs have been eaten, remove the plates.
- The salad may be served as a separate course or may accompany the couscous.
- Follow it by a roast meat dish served with flat bread.
- Slices of watermelon and cantaloupe can be served as dessert.
- Serve the mint tea with the fruit along with the honey pastries.
- Again, pour warm, scented water over the hands of the guests.
- At the end of the meal, bring in a tiny incense burner and light it on the table.

Visit local eateries

- Tagine at the luxurious Royal Mirage hotel recreates the essence of Morocco. Based on authentic Moroccan food, the restaurant's dishes make customers feel like they are truly dining in Fez or Marrakech.

The staff of Tagine has been well trained to help the guests choose their meal so that they can enjoy an authentic Moroccan repast.

- Marrakech at the Shangri La hotel serves modern Moroccan cuisine in a courtyard setting with vegetarian options.

This upmarket Moroccan eatery is effortlessly elegant.

- The Shoo Fee Ma Fee at the Madinat Jumeirah (the Arabian Resort) is a colourful lounge bar serving Moroccan snacks and arabesque tapas. This is a great place to dine in the comforts of the cushion-bedecked settings.

- Samari restaurant on Al Mina Road, Casbah restaurant at Town Centre, Beach Road and Tanja restaurant in Bur Dubai are well-regarded Moroccan venues as well.

Must have cookery books

- Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from My Moroccan Kitchen by Kitty Morse and Laurie Smith

- Scent of Orange Blossoms: Sephardic Cuisine from Morocco by Kitty Morse and Owen Morse

- Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco by Paula Wolfert and Gael Greene

- Recipes from the North African Coast by Fatema Hal

- Sana Zarrar Paloba is a UAE-based culinary writer