The Classics: Tajine & Couscous

The tajine is Morocco's national dish — and at the same time the cooking pot in which it is prepared: a flat clay dish with a conical lid that condenses the steam and allows the dish to simmer at low heat for hours. The result is incomparably tender and aromatic. Every family has its own recipes, but the classics you will find everywhere are:

• Tajine with chicken, lemon confit & olives — The all-rounder: chicken thighs, preserved lemons (citrons confits, a Moroccan staple), green olives, onions, saffron, and coriander. The preserved lemons give a unique tangy-spicy note that is addictive. From 40 MAD in simple restaurants, 80–120 MAD in upscale riads.
• Tajine with lamb, prunes & almonds — The festive dish: tender lamb with caramelized prunes, roasted almonds, cinnamon, and honey. The combination of sweet and savory is typically Moroccan and takes some getting used to at first bite — unforgettable at the second. From 60 MAD.
• Tajine Kefta — The quick version: meatballs (kefta) in a spicy tomato sauce with eggs, which are cracked open and cooked in the steam at the end. Rustic, hearty, perfect with flatbread for dipping. From 35 MAD.

The couscous holds almost religious significance in Morocco: it is traditionally served on Friday (after Friday prayers) as a family dish — the entire extended family gathers around a large bowl and eats together with the right hand. Hand-rolled couscous (not the instant variety from the supermarket!) is steamed for hours over a stew pot and served with a stew of vegetables, chickpeas, and lamb or chicken. The preparation is an art that Moroccan women learn from their mothers. In restaurants: from 50 MAD, in upscale establishments 100–150 MAD.