Paradigms Volume 1 Issue 1 | Page 9

Moroccan cuisine is simple irresistible, fusing African, Spanish, Amazigh, Portuguese, Moorish, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Jewish influences. Spices are an essential key to Moroccan cooking, with saffron, mint, oranges, lemons, couscous, chickpeas, beef, lamb and chicken among the chief ingredients. The most popular dishes are Tangine (a spicy meat and veggie stew cooked and served in a clay pot), Pastilla (a meaty pastry) and Tkaliya (a traditional Berber recipe combining lamb, peppers, onion and tomatoes). Most meals are accompanied by a generous serving of couscous. The Moroccan shopping centers are a combination of modern European-style malls and commercial centers and traditional local markets and Souqs. It is good news for both Chefchaouen shopaholics and coin collectors. All the major cities in Morocco have both types of shopping centers and markets except for the small villages and some touristic and historical cities; you can find what you need just in local markets. There also a lot of online stores for “I-can-just-buy-it-online” people like Jumia, Hmall, Blanee, and Oriflame. Talking about Morocco in one article will never be enough to account for all its beauty, heritage, and the places you can get an amazing adventurous expat experience. This article serves as a small introduction to Morocco and a welcoming note to our new expats. Marhaba to Morocco! Abdellah Essatih Assistant to Director of Teaching & Learning Tangier