Cooking Moroccan: Unique Moroccan Cookware

Cooking Moroccan: Unique Moroccan Cookware

After another laborious week, I’m back and I’d like to show something interesting and entertaining for all of you interested in Moroccan cooking tools, devices and further cookware.

Let me also tell you that I did not see all this being used at the households I’ve visited throughout Morocco, but I’m sure there are many families using many or even all of them. I will also make a remark for those tools which I feel would be good if you got on the long haul, but for the start, you will be just fine without all these. It’s rather for the inspiration and the information than for practical use as of now.  

Let’s get started!

Tagine

The traditional Tagine made out of clay is a great cookware and it’s also the trademark cookware of everything Moroccan. It’s widely used both for slow cooking dishes and also for serving dishes. It’s a typical example of a dish being named after the cookware it’s being cooked it. Tagine is great for cooking any saucy meaty food and there are hundreds of variations for tagine dishes. Spoiler alert: every single one of them tastes excellent!  Tagines can only be used for cooking on a normal stove if your kitchen is armed with a special diffuser that’s used for slow cooking.

Recommended: rather for serving as it requires very specific methods for slow cooking in order for it not to get ruptures. Tagines are sold in an extreme wide variety ranging from the smallest to the largest ones, also you can buy plain undecorated ones more for cooking reasons and the highly decorated ones which are more for serving or simply as souvenirs. Tagine today is very trendy to be featured in Western kitchens too and it’s definitely a great souvenir to take home.

Gsaa:

Gsaa

This is perhaps the most commonly used cookware I have seen all around Morocco. This extra-large plate is traditionally for the serving of the Friday Couscous but the housewives of Morocco are also using it alternatively for the making of all sorts of pastries or dough, typically those you cook at home, such as  Msemen,  Beghrir and the Meloui which this way are ready to be fried in a few minutes’ time. I’ve only seen clay Gsaa but it’s been said that the best ones are those made out of wood.

Recommended:  Definitely recommended, if I go to Morocco next time, I will definitely try to get one for my kitchen because not only they look very characteristic they are extremely useful too.

Majmar:

The traditional Majmar

This very unique looking cookware is traditionally used as a slow cooker specifically for tagines. The burning charcoal is put into the Majmar which from then on will serve as a sort of as stove for it. This is something I do not see in modern Moroccan households and haven’t seen anyone cooking with it, but it certainly looks great and I’m sure it’s still used in the villages and the desert areas. 

Recommended: Not really unless you are absolutely crazy for folk arts. Majmars are heavy and hard to carry anywhere. 

Tangia:   

I have already spoiled this as I couldn’t refrain myself talking about it in the previous part. Please go and check it out by clicking here.

Tbeq: 

 

This is another typical cookware which has to be part of most Moroccan households and the best part of it is that with the proper tools it’s very easy to keep clean and it’s lightweight. Typically handwoven Tbeq is used for hand rolling couscous. Alternatively it’s also used for holding any sort of dishes and can also serves as a pad.

Recommended: Tbeq serves as a great, colorful souvenir which is easy to carry but it can still add a nice touch to any kitchen. It is made in lots of color combinations although those keeping the original color are the ones originally used for making couscous. 

Couscoussier: 

Couscoussier developing with the age

No Moroccan household is missing a real couscoussier which is either a double or a triple layered cooking device which is a proper steamer that’s used to steam couscous 3 times  in order for it to gain its best shape, form and color ( see more on how to steam couscous in my previous article). Mind you, the preparation of real couscous is a long, time-consuming process and mostly this is the activity dedicated for Friday mornings, as couscous is traditinally consumed after the Friday Dhurhr ( Midday prayer).

Recommended: I wouldn't particularly recommend you buy a couscoussier just now. I haven’t seen couscoussier anywhere in the West but I’m sure you can buy it on Amazon. But only buy it if you are serious about making couscous which normally takes a long experimenting to do. 

Until then you can try and start with a standard steamer. 

Tbiqua:  

Tbiquas come in every color combination possible

You can get to buy Tbiqua in many shape and form all around Morocco where they are typically selling them at souks. This is generally used as a bread holder, but they store other things in it too.

Recommended: I would certainly recommend you to get some of this for souvenir. Apart from being light-weight, its colors certainly add up to the style of any kitchen or room. Plus they are pretty practical too!

I hope you liked this part of Cooking Moroccan series and please follow my blog for more updates. My initial plan is to start cooking with you guys and give you inspiration to carry on and do Moroccan dishes by yourselves as it’s well worth it. Ask me, comment or share your experiences with me.