I have been meaning to tell you a bit more about these little tiny balls of semolina flour for a while but I haven’t had the chance. I am glad I can finally do it before the end of the year!

As the child of two strict Moroccan foodies, my experience with couscous growing up was very traditional. Let me explain. In Morocco the term “couscous” refers to a whole dish made usually of meat and vegetables cooked in a delicious broth served on a bed of steamed semolina granules (aka couscous!). “Couscous” never referred to a side dish or a salad and “couscous” was never cooked instantly. It was quite the opposite.

Turmeric is present in many Moroccan dishes, this ancient orange-coloured spice imported from Southeast Asia has been an essential staple in Moroccan cuisine for centuries. Recently, turmeric has been described as a major superfood thanks to its inflammatory and therapeutic purposes.

Let’s find out more!

Argan oil is extracted from the kernels of the argan tree fruits. This tree, also known as argania spinosa is endemic to the Sous valley of southwestern Morocco.

In spite of the challenging calcareous desert climate they flourish in, argan trees successfully live for as much as 250 years. 

Did you know that the saffron threads we use for cooking actually come from a flower? I didn’t know and I recently found out so I decided to learn more about saffron and saffron in Morocco. Very interesting!