10 KID-FRIENDLY FOODS FROM MOROCCO
Lamb Tagine
Tagines are hearty dishes named after the conical-shaped dish they are cooked in. A typical Moroccan tagine is cooked with steam, not water. The tagine pot is conical in shape, so the food cooks in its own steam/juices. Tagines contain onion, meat, carrots, garlic, spices – ginger, black pepper, salt & cumin – zucchini, tomatoes, and potatoes. Whatever cooks longest is placed at the bottom of the dish and the rest on top. Another great tagine that is kid-foodie approved is the Moroccan meatball tagine.
Tangia
Tangia is a traditional dish from Marrakech of very slow cooked lamb. Found only in this city, the lamb is placed in little jars and then baked in traditional underground ovens. It has been made this way for hundreds of years, and is something you must try when in Marrakech.
Harira Soup
This hearty soup is one of our favorites, especially during the holy month of Ramadan. Consisting of lentils, garbanzo beans, veggies, and meat, the soup is made up of a broth rich in harissa, and spices, and thickened with flour, water and spicy tomato paste – a mixture referred to as Tedouira. We first tried this savory soup at a soup stall in Marrakech’s night market, Djemaa El Fna, and cannot get enough of it…which is why we have also have a recipe for it 🙂 Moroccan Harira Soup
Khlea
Khlea, also known as Khlii and خليع, is Morocco’s famous “mystery meat.” It is a preserved meat usually made from lamb which has been cut into strips, marinated with spices like cumin, coriander, and garlic. It is then dried in the hot sun for a few days, and cooked in a mixture of animal fat, oil and water in order to preserve it for up to 2 years. Read more about khlea here: Morocco’s Preserved Meat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHtMjHGqQdIK
Moroccan Kefta and Eggs Tagine
We noticed that Moroccans generally tend to have a light dinner on most nights, and this tagine is a perfect no-fuss dinner that can be thrown together rather easily. This particular tagine dish contains meatballs (chopped up), tomatoes and egg. We loved having it with some freshly baked Moroccan bread…to soak up the yummy soupy liquid.
Lamb Kebabs
As Moroccans believe, lamb is the best meat to tally with kebab. We had it with a mint dipping sauce that complemented the tenderly cooked meat.
Roasted Moroccan Rack of Lamb
This is an amazing lamb roast dish requiring only a few ingredients. The lamb needs to be cooked for about 3 hours prior to the marinating…resulting in meat that falls off the bone. A traditional Moroccan Rack of Lamb is served with potatoes, to bring the dish together.
Msemen
When we visited Morocco, we found these delicious snacks being sold by many street vendors. So, what is it? Msemen is a traditional Moroccan pancake-like dough prepared for breakfast and sometimes as a snack. The dough is folded several times to form a square, before being pan fried and served mainly with honey or jam (we’ve even seen it being served with nutella). Here’s our recipe all the way from Marrakech! How to Make Msemen
Moroccan Snake Pastry
M’hanncha, or snake cake, is a very famous dessert among the kids in Morocco – a coil-shaped crispy pastry with orange and cinnamon flavors, stuffed with homemade almond paste. This dessert is served during special occasions and Moroccans absolutely love it!
Moroccan Date Cake
Dates are found in every corner of Morocco. People enjoy them throughout the day and with no limit. Moroccans serve date cake after tea along with some fruits and Moroccan sweets. And, it is a fact that Moroccans never get enough of dates…neither can we when we visit!
There you have our 10 kid-friendly Moroccan foods to try.
Looking for a tagine?
I love this one or if you want to splurge, this one.
That pancakes are the best!
Love the selection. glad tangia and khlii made your list