I am a self styled gourmand. I am of the view that a strict gourmet shouldn’t have any bias for a particular cuisine. He should be able to savour every culinary item with equal pleasure. But being me, I can bend the rules for myself. I sometimes relieve my ennui by having some good food! I love Moroccan cuisine. It is something I could die for.

Moroccan food isn’t spicy, just well spiced. Too much spice kills a dish. They don't just have one dish on the table for a meal, often they have up to 15 starters: aubergine salad; cooked vegetable salads, chopped carrots, okra, courgettes; and meat too, lamb's liver or brains. All this comes with bread and the salads are left out to freshen the palate during the following meat courses, which are often cooked in tagines - after couscous, perhaps Morocco's most famous dishes. Meat and vegetables are stewed very slowly in a conical pot, usually over charcoal. Some say the shape of the lid helps circulate and retain the heat, others that it allows the cook to pile in generous portions - so go easy on the starters.

Normally there are three courses to follow. Chicken stewed with preserved lemons, a lamb tagine, and they always finish with couscous, which should always be cooked with meat. Here are some individual listing of some recipes worth trying at home if you cant get to an authentic Moroccan joint. (But nothing beats a well made "vatha kulambu") :D

MARRAKESH CHICKEN
You can substitute chicken breasts or chicken parts, skinned or unskinned. Serves 4.

1 frying chicken, skinned and cut in quarters
Juice of 1 lemon
1 T. crushed coriander (or 1/2 T. powdered)
1 T. dried oregano (or 1/2 T. powdered)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Good handful regular green olives
1/2 C. olive oil
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Sprinkle chicken with salt and arrange in baking pan. Sprinkle with lemon juice, coriander, oregano, garlic, and olives. Pour olive oil over it. Cover with lemon slices and bake at 325ºFfor 1 hour. Serve over couscous.

COUSCOUS
1 1/3 C. couscous (wheat-grain semolina)
3/4 C. raisins
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. boiling water
1/2 C. butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

Mix couscous, raisins and salt in 2-quart bowl; stir in boiling water. Let stand until all water is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Heat butter in 10-inch skillet until melted; stir in couscous and ground turmeric. Cook and stir 4 minutes.

HARIRA
2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, minced
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. best quality curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large lamb shoulder blade chops, cubed
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 C. beef broth
1 (14 oz.) can chickpeas
Juice of two lemons
Cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pan. Brown the onion. Add the garlic and stir for one minute. Add the spices and stir. Add the lamb and coat it completely with the spice mixture, allowing it to fry for a few minutes, followed by the tomatoes. Pour the beef broth over it, and as soon as it begins to boil, turn the heat down to a gentle simmer.

In a small bowl, mash half of the chickpeas. After a half hour, add them along with the whole chickpeas to the simmering soup and cook for another hour. At the end of the cooking time, squeeze in the lemon juice. When you serve it, top each bowl with a few cilantro leaves. Serves 4 to 6.

MOROCCAN PRESERVED LEMONS
6 lemons, about 1 3/4 pounds
1/2 C. coarse salt
One 1-inch stick cinnamon
1/2 tsp. allspice berries
1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the lemons, return the water to a boil, and cook 3 minutes. Drain, drop the lemons into cold water, changing it once or twice to cool the lemons; drain again and dry.

Stand the lemons on end and cut lengthwise nearly into quarters so that they open out but remain attached at one end. Spread each open and sprinkle liberally with the salt; close it up and pack it in a wide-mouthed 2-quart preserving jar, or two 1-quart jars, pressing to squeeze out some of the juice. Continue with the remaining lemons. Add the spices to the jar (or jars), along with the remaining salt, and pour in fresh boiling water up to the top. Wait until all the bubbles have risen, then seal and sterilize. Store at least 1 month in a cool, dry place. To use, rinse the lemons and quarter, slice, or chop them with or without the pulp. Refrigerate after opening. Makes 6 preserved lemons.

MOROCCAN LEMON CHICKEN
1 small chicken or pieces of breast or thigh
1 T. vegetable oil
1 small onion, grated or finely chopped
1/4 tsp. saffron
1/4 tsp. ground ginger or 1 T. fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
Salt and pepper
Handful coriander leaves, finely chopped
Handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
Peel from 1 preserved lemon, chopped

Sauté and sear chicken in oil and then add all other ingredients except the lemons. Half cover with water and simmer gently until chicken is very tender and liquid much reduced — about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Throw lemon peel into sauce, cook for a few more minutes and serve.

MOROCCAN GARBANZO BEANS WITH RAISINS
1 large onion, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. peanut oil
1 C. diced acorn or butternut squash
1 C. chicken broth
1/2 C. raisins
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 (15 oz.) can garbanzo beans, drained
2 C. hot cooked rice

Cook onions and garlic in oil in 3-quart saucepan, stirring frequently, until tender, about 7 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except garbanzo beans and rice. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and cook until squash is tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in garbanzo beans. Serve over rice. Yields 4 servings.

Try them and let me know about your gastronomic experiences. Don’t tell me if you barfed.