A Night With The Pasha

While a pasha refers to the governor of a city or province in Morocco, in San Francisco it best describes Jalal Takesh, the amiable owner of Pasha restaurant, a traditional and elegant Moroccan eatery in the heart of the city. A group of friends accompanied me on a recent visit to Pasha, and to say the mood was festive is an understatement. A belly dancer (pregnant, no less!) appeared before we had even ordered our meal and proceeded to enchant us with her rhythmic swaying and athletic grace. Her prop, a live snake, wasn't quite as charming, but maybe that's because the snake was mere feet from our table. In short order, half the restaurant was up on the stage, gyrating with the dancer and having a ball. My hungry gang of six finally ordered "A Royal Feast" and anxiously awaited the real performance.
Our meal began with a series of small plates, among them hummus, a pleasing chick-pea puree seasoned with sesame paste, falafel (fried patties of crushed beans) and a tabbouleh salad flavored with parsley and cracked wheat. Standouts among these plates were the bisteeya, a wonderful rendition of the classic savory/sweet pie and piyaz, Mediterranean white beans in a slightly tangy marinade. The bulk of our feast was made up of heartier dishes, six in all, including lamb with honey, almonds and raisins as well as chicken with honey, onions, raisins and sesame seeds and a sublime hare with paprika, tomatoes and onions. The traditional chicken with pickled lemon and olives was also served, as was a couscous topped with a medley of vegetables which were seasoned with a cumin cayenne sauce. By the time glasses of mint tea arrived, we were ready for bed, sated as can be.
Dining Moroccan-style is a feast for the senses, and at Pasha, the food is well worth your while, especially if you're in a party mood. Pasha, 1516 Broadway, San Francisco (415) 885-4477. Dinner only; "A Royal Feast" is $26 per person, minimum two persons.

Mechoui

Mechoui is an Arabic word meaning "roasted on an open fire" as opposed to oven-roasted. This can apply to a variety of foods, such as vegetables (Salad mechouia, for instance, made with roasted peppers, tomatoes, etc.), but mostly it refers to a whole lamb spit-roasted outdoors. In Algeria, Mechoui is considered as an appetizer and is traditionally served at the beginning of a feast. It is eaten with fingers. The host serves himself first, then tears out pieces of the crispy skin and offers them to the guests. He may then dig inside, and offer the kidneys to the guests of honor, or pieces of filet and ribs.
The Mechoui versions from Morocco and Tunisia are quite different. The lamb may be cooked outdoors, but in a manner similar to Polynesian "kalua pig", or cooked in an earthenware dish. Hence, there is no crispy skin, which makes it much less attractive to aficionados

harira

Harira is the national soup. During the thirty days of the month of Ramadan, every household prepares this perfumed soup that fills the streets with its aroma every day at sundown. It is eaten accompanied by dates or honey cake (chbakias, briouats with almonds and honey…) There are many variations of this specialty, but this is the most traditional.

6 Moroccan tea

Moroccan tea culture (Arabic: اتاي‎ - Ataí) is defined by the way tea (exclusively green tea) is prepared and consumed in Morocco, where it is widely consumed with food. The tradition is also spread throughout North Africa, parts of the Sahel, and southern Spain. Tea occupies a very important place in the Moroccan culture and is considered an art form. Morocco is one of the biggest tea importers of the world.
Contents[hide]

[edit] Origins
It is believed that tea was first introduced to Morocco in the 18th century, and began spreading through Morocco in the mid-1800s at the time the trade between Morocco and Europe started flourishing. It is reported that Sultan Moulay Ismail received many bags of tea and sugar as gifts and recompenses given by European envoys in order to release European prisoners.
The main Moroccan tea provider remains China. According to the Moroccan trade ministry, Morocco imported more than $56 million worth of Chinese tea during the first half of 2006. Morocco is considered the first importer of Chinese green tea worldwide. [1]

[edit] Preparation

Moroccan tea being served. It is poured from a distance to produce a foam on the tea.
The method of preparation of Atai is relatively complex compared to methods used elsewhere. A large quantity of hard sugar cones or lumps (5 tea spoons for every spoon of tea) is used, and fresh mint is also an essential ingredient.
Tea is cleaned with boiling water before being dried, this removes dust from shipping and supposedly makes the tea less bitter. Tea and boiling water are combined, and may be boiled further for several minutes. After that, sugar and mint are added and mixed into a teapot with a long, curved spout. The sugar may also be combined with the tea and water in the first infusion, rather than with the mint after brewing. Using a traditional curved spout allows the tea to be poured into tiny glasses from a height of approximately half a meter to form a foamy head. It is then returned once or twice to the teapot for a good mix.

5 Dessert

Sweets aren't always served at the end of a Moroccan meal, but when they are, it might well be one of the following: "gazelle's horns" are a croissant-like pastry which is stuffed with almond paste and topped with sugar, while honey cakes are pretzel-shaped pieces of dough which are deep-fried, dipped into a piping-hot pot of honey and then sprinkled with sesame seeds.

4 Bisteeya

Bisteeya is a type of sweet and savory pie common in Moroccan cuisine. It is made from an outer layer of puffed phyllo dough enveloping a filling of shredded chicken, ground almonds, and spices. The most traditional variant uses pigeon meat rather than chicken; alternate fillings such as shrimp or fish are also becoming prevalent.

fish tajin

Both fresh and salt water fish grace the Moroccan table. While it is commonly prepared as a stew, it is sometimes fried and often stuffed. A popular fish tagine, which is prepared with potatoes, tomatoes and green peppers, shows a strong Andalusian influence. The Moroccans believe that in a tagine, the sauce is everything!

3 Meat

Meat, in its broadest definition, is animal tissue used as food. Most often it refers to skeletal muscle and associated fat, but it may also refer to non-muscle organs, including lungs, livers, skin, brains, bone marrow and kidneys. The word meat is also used by the meat packing and butchering industry in a more restrictive sense - the flesh of mammalian species (pigs, cattle, etc.) raised and butchered for human consumption, to the exclusion of fish, poultry, and eggs. Eggs and seafood are rarely referred to as meat even though they consist of animal tissue. Animals that consume only or mostly animals are carnivores.
The meat packing industry slaughters, processes, and distributes meat for human consumption in many countries.

Couscous

Couscous or kuskus (pronounced /ˈkuːskuːs/ in the US, /ˈkʊskʊs/ in the UK; Berber Seksu - Arabic: كسكس‎, called maftoul in Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine) is a food from the Maghreb of Berber origin. It consists of spherical granules made by rolling and shaping moistened semolina wheat and then coating them with finely ground wheat flour. The finished grains are about 1 mm in diameter before cooking. Traditional couscous requires considerable preparation time and is usually steamed. In many places, a more processed quick-cook couscous is available and is particularly valued for its short preparation time.
The dish is a primary staple throughout the Maghreb;[2] in much of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Libya it is also known as ṭa`aam طعام, "food".[citation needed] It is also popular in the West African Sahel, in France, Madeira island, in western Sicily's Trapani province, and parts of the Middle East. It is also very popular among Jews of North African descent. It is eaten in many other parts of the world as well.
Couscous is traditionally served under a meat or vegetable stew. It can also be eaten alone flavoured or plain, warm or cold, as a dessert or a side dish.

1 Salads

Moroccan Favorites

You are probably quite likely to find the following items at a Moroccan diffa, or banquet. If so, consider yourself lucky, for you'll be eating some of the most delicious food around. If invitations are in short supply, you can always prepare them yourself at home.
Salads A fresh, cool salad is often served at the start of a meal. Among the most commonly served are a tomato and green pepper salad (similar to the Spanish gazpacho), a mixed herb salad, eggplant salad or a salad redolent with oranges, which the Moroccans grow in large quantity.
Bisteeya This traditional savory pastry is made in three layers: a layer of shredded chicken is topped with eggs which are curdled in a lemony onion sauce and further topped with a dusting of sweetened almonds. The whole is enclosed in tissue-thin pastry called warka and topped by a layer of cinnamon and sugar. It is believed that this fine pastry (similar to the pastry used for Chinese spring rolls) came from the Persians, who likely learned to prepare it from the Chinese.
Couscous These are fine semolina grains which are plumped by steaming them over a simmering stew. The grains are then piled on a large platter, with the stew heaped on top. This is a classic Berber dish which has seen many interpretations. Traditionally, couscous is served for Friday lunch or for special occasions. It is never a main dish, rather it is served as the last dish at the end of a meal. A "couscous of seven vegetables" is common in Fez, where seven is considered a lucky number. The seven "lucky" vegetables are onions, pumpkin, zucchini, turnips, chili peppers, carrots and tomatoes.
Fish Both fresh and salt water fish grace the Moroccan table. While it is commonly prepared as a stew, it is sometimes fried and often stuffed. A popular fish tagine, which is prepared with potatoes, tomatoes and green peppers, shows a strong Andalusian influence. The Moroccans believe that in a tagine, the sauce is everything!
Poultry Some of the tastiest dishes in Moroccan cookery involve chicken, which can be steamed, broiled or fried and is often accompanied with vegetables. Chicken with lemon and olives is the classic preparation, while a chicken tagine cooked with butter, onions, pepper, saffron, chick-peas, almonds and lemon is also popular. Chickens are also prepared stuffed with raisins, almonds, rice or eggs, but when you consider the experimental nature of Moroccan cooks, perhaps it's all of the above!
Meat Lamb is king on the Moroccan table, especially roasted lamb, which is as tender and flavorful as you will find. It can also be braised, browned, steamed or served on skewers, the latter commonly known as shish kebab. Kefta is lamb or beef which has been generously spiced, then rolled into the shape of a sausage, placed on a skewer and broiled; when it is rolled into meatballs, it is used in tagines. Lamb tagines are prepared with a cornucopia of vegetables and some even use fruit.
Desserts Sweets aren't always served at the end of a Moroccan meal, but when they are, it might well be one of the following: "gazelle's horns" are a croissant-like pastry which is stuffed with almond paste and topped with sugar, while honey cakes are pretzel-shaped pieces of dough which are deep-fried, dipped into a piping-hot pot of honey and then sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Tea Moroccan tea may be the main reason why desserts are an uncommon treat after a meal: this tea IS dessert! Green tea is steeped and then laced with sugar and fresh spearmint. The resulting brew is a minty, syrupy-sweet taste which isn't for everyone.

The Moroccan Kitchen

The foods of Morocco take great advantage of the natural bounty of a country where eating is both a practical and social ritual. The cooks in the kitchens of the four royal cities (Fez, Meknes, Marrakech and Rabat) helped to refine Moroccan cuisine and create the basis for what we know as Moroccan cuisine today. The midday meal is the main meal, except during the holy month of Ramadan, and abundant servings are the norm. The meal usually begins with a series of hot and cold salads which are followed by a tagine, or stew. The heartiest plate, often a lamb or chicken dish, is next, followed by a heaping plate of couscous topped with meats and vegetables. A soothing cup of sweet mint tea is the grace note to this repast. It is not uncommon for Moroccans to eat using the first three fingers of a hand, and to use bread as a "utensil."
The strong Arab influence found in two of the royal cities, Fez and Marrakech, contributed greatly to Moroccan cuisine, as did the Andalusian sensibilities of Tetuan and the Jewish traditions from the coastal city of Essaouira. Aspects of all of these cultures can be found in four of the best-loved Moroccan dishes: couscous, plumped semolina grains which are served with a variety of toppings; bisteeya, a delectable three-layer pie which is both savory and sweet and wrapped in the thinnest of pastry; mechoui, tender roasted lamb; and djej emshmel, succulent roasted chicken cooked with olives and lemon.
While spices have been imported to Morocco for thousands of years, many commonly-used raw ingredients are home-grown: mint and olives from Meknes, oranges and lemons from sunny Fez, prickly pear from Casablanca and shad from the Sebou river. Also cultivated in Morocco are pomegranates, almonds, dates, walnuts, chestnuts, honey, barley, cherries and melon. Seafood is abundant along the Atlantic coast while lamb and poultry are raised on higher ground.
The Moroccans are quick to point out that the best meals are found not in the restaurants but in the homes. In this land of good and abundant food, the emphasis is clearly on preparing your own. It is worth mentioning that women do virtually all of the cooking in this very traditional country.