Maure Kaoua (Coffee Ras el Hanout)

This is a Moroccan spice mixture to add to coffee.

Makes: 1/3 cup

Ingredients:

• 2 whole nutmegs (about 4 teaspoons ground nutmeg) 
• 4 blades cinnamon (about 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon) 
• 6 to 8 dried rosebuds 
• 12 whole cloves (about 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves) 
• 1/8 teaspoon gum arabic 
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger 
• 2 pieces of galingale* (about 1/2 teaspoon ground galingale) 
• 2 allspice berries (about 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice) 
• 3/4 teaspoon ground white pepper 
• 3 blades mace (about 1/2 teaspoon ground mace) 
• 15 white or green cardamom pods 
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 
• 1 teaspoon aniseed 
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 

Direction:

1. Combine the spices in an electric spice grinder or blender. 
2. Sieve and bottle carefully to preserve the freshness.

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Sharbat Bil Looz (Almond Milk Drink)

Serves: 4

Prep. Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

• ½ pound whole blanched almonds 
• ½ cup granulated sugar 
• Orange blossom water or rosewater 
• 1 cup milk 
• 2 cup water

Direction:

1. Blend the almonds with the sugar, a dash of perfumed water, and 1 cup water until smooth. 
2. Pour through a strainer, pressing down hard with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. 
3. Stir in 1 more cup water and the milk. 
4. Chill and serve in small glasses.

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Lamb Kebabs

Widely sold as streed food with Maroccan bread, these spicy lamb kebas are also often served as a little dish. The meat is cut intoo small cubes and marinated before being threaded onto bamboo or metal skewers and grilled.

Serves: 4
Prep. Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

• 750 gram boneless leg of lamb
• 1 onion, grated
• 1 teaspoon paprika poeder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 60 ml olive oil
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Harissa and tomato sauce

• 2 tomatoes
• ½ onion, grated to give 2 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon harissa
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Direction:

1. Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for 2 hours, or use metal skewers.
2. Do not trim the fat from the lamb.
3. Cut the meat into 3 cm cubes and put in a bowl.
4. Add onion, paprika, cumin, parsley, olive oil and generous grind of black peper.
5. Toss well to coat, then cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
6. To make the harissa and tomato sauce, halve the tomatoes horizontally and squeeze out the seeds.
7. Coarsely grate the tomatoes into a bowl down to the skin, discarding the skin.
8. In a saucepan, cook the onion in the olive oil for 2 minutes, stir in the harissa or cayenne pepper, and add the grated tomatoes, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt.
9. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and simmer for a further 4 minutes, or until the sauce reaches a thick, pouring consistency. Transfer to a bowl.
10. Thread the lamb cubes onto the skewers, leaving a little space between the meat cubes.
11. Heat the barbecue grill to high and cook for 5-6 minutes, turning and brushing with the marinade (Alternatively, cook in a chargrill pan or under the grill).
12. Serve the kebas with the sauce.

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Kaab el Ghozal (Gazelle Horns)

These cakes are sometimes called "gazelle horns" in English, but why that is remains a mystrey. In Arabic. kaab el ghozal mean "gazelle ankles". This recipee make 60 to 70 horns.

Makes: 60-70
Prep. Time: 20 min
Cooking Time:  10 min

Ingredients:
Almond paste

• 8 cups (1 kg) blanched and peeled almonds
• 2 cups ( 500 g) superfine sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange flower water
• 1 tablespoons melted butter

Dough

• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 4½ cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons orange flower water

Direction:

1. Mix the almonds and the sugar, grind in a food mill or a food processor and reduce to a fine powder. 
2. Mix this powder with the orange flower water and melted butter. 
3. Separate the mixture into pieces the size of a walnut and roll into batons about 3x1 cm.
4. Set aside.
5. Mix all the ingredients for the dough together until firm. 
6. Roll the dough as thin as possible with a rolling pin. It should be almost transparent.
7. Place the baton of almonds paste on the dough in a line with even spaces beteen each baton.
8. Fold the dough over to cover all the pieces of almond paste.
9. Seal by pressing slightly and separate with a pastry cutter.
10. Bend each piece slightly to form a crescent.
11. Prick each biscuit with a pin to allow the stream to escape during baking.
12. Transfer to a baking sheet, brush with melted butter, then bake for approximately 10 minutes at  400 °F (200 °C). The horns should be barely golden.
13. You can serve them plain or dusted with confectioners' (icing) sugar. 

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Chicken Tagine with Peas and Potatoes

Ingredients: 

• ½ lb. (about 250 g) fresh or frozen peas 
• ½ chicken (or 4 pieces of chicken), skin removed 
• 1 onion, finely chopped 
• 1 lb. (about ½ kg) firm potatoes, peeled and cut into ½" thick slices 
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro 
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon ginger 
• ½ teaspoon turmeric (or 1/8 teaspoon Moroccan yellow colorant) 
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper 
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper 
• pinch of saffron threads, crumbled (optional) 
• ½ cup chicken broth 
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ cup water 

Direction:

1. In a bowl, mix the chicken with onions, garlic, herbs, and spices. 
2. Be sure the seasoning is distributed evenly. 
3.  Coat the base of a tagine with a little of the olive oil. 
4. Distribute the onions across the bottom, then the peas. 
5. Place the chicken (flesh-side down) in the center. 
6.  Swirl the ½ cup of water in the bowl used for the chicken to "rinse" the spices from the side of the bowl, and add the water to the tagine. 
7.  Arrange the potatoes slices around the chicken and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. 
8. Add the broth, and drizzle the remaining olive oil over the chicken and vegetables. 
9.  Close the tagine and place over medium-low heat. (A diffuser is recommended.) 
10. Stay patient while the tagine reaches a simmer, it could take some time. 
11. Resist the temptation to turn up the heat unless the tagine is not simmering after 20 minutes, and even so, increase the heat only very moderately. 
12.  Once you hear the tagine simmering, leave the tagine to cook undisturbed for about 1 hour 15 minutes. 
13.  After that time, open the tagine and turn over the chicken. 
14. Taste the broth, and add salt and pepper if desired. 
15. Add a little more water if you feel the vegetables have absorbed too much of the cooking liquid. 
16. Continue cooking the tagine, covered, for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken and vegetables are very tender. 
17.  Serve the dish right from the tagine, with crusty Moroccan bread for scooping up the chicken, vegetables and sauce.

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Chebakia

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Moroccan Couscous

Couscous is actually a type of pasta, which is cut into tiny little grains. It looks like coarse sand, and cooks very quickly. It goes well with any sort of meat, fish, poultry, or vegetable. It is the staple food of Morocco and much of North Africa, where it is usually steamed in a special steamer which goes right on top of the pot where the stew it will be served with is cooking.

Serves: 4
Prep. Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 500 g couscous 
• 500 g lamb 
• 500 g carrots 
• 500 g turnips 
• 250 g pumpkin, cut into ½" thick slices
• 500 g cabbage 
• 2 zucchinis, cut into ½" thick slices 
• 1 cup chickpeas, soaked 
• 2 tomatoes, peeled and seeded 
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp butter  
• 1 tsp black pepper 
• pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
• 1 tsp ginger

Direction:

1. Place meat, onions, oil and spices in the pot and cook them for a while till the colour of onions turns yellow. 
2.  Add washed vegetables and water enough to cover the vegetables. (Zucchini and pumpkin may be added late since they don’t take a long time to be cooked) 
3. Place couscous in a bowl and sprinkle with ¼ litre of salted water and separate the grains by gently rubbing them between your palms and add two tablespoons of oil. 
4. Place couscous inside the steamer and put it on the boiling pot. 
5. The steam should escape only from the top. 
6. As soon as the steam comes out, remove the couscous, put it in a large bowl, and separate the grains again by rubbing them gently between your palms or crushing them with a ladle. 
7. Sprinkle 2/3 ladles of lightly cold water, separate the grains and let stand 15 minutes. 
8. Return the couscous in the steamer to steam again for about half an hour. 
9.  Repeat the above operation, but this time by replacing water with olive oil and 1 tsp of butter, and let couscous on the steamer till the steam comes out again.
10. Place the couscous in a large dish, form a hole in the centre, and place meat in it then place the vegetables decoratively on the top of couscous. 
11. Add sauce till it is soaked enough. 

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