Moroccan dairy meals and recipes
Moroccan Dairy Products and recipes
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| La Vache Qui Rit is among the most popular dairy products in Morocco |
Table of contents
Intro
This time around I would like to cover a topic that's less discussed, but in my hope, many people would like to hear more about this. I hope you will find this post useful and that you try to prepare some of these products. Even if you don't, whenever you are in Morocco in a Medina, drop by in one of the milk bars and eat a local yogurt.
Dairy consuming habits in Morocco
Milk, cheese, and the consumption of other dairy products are less talked about when it comes to Moroccan cuisine, however, most Moroccans do eat dairy products, their own way. While the drinking of pure milk is not a trend there is a nice variety of either homemade or available dairy products if you take a look around.
I would like to go beyond the much popular and Instagram friendly almond and rosewater milk which I mention already in one of my previous posts and reveal what Moroccans really do eat day by day when it comes to consuming milky products.
The majority of Moroccans buy cow milk from their local store. They generally prefer fat milk as it's also suitable for making yogurt and also has more dietary benefits. While surely goat milk and goat dairy are consumed in the mountain and tribal areas, I never personally encountered these, so I cannot talk about them.
While dairy products are consumed for breakfast in general, they can also come handy if somebody simply gets hungry in-between meals. The majority of Moroccan households do not have the option to keep dairy products for a long amount of time, therefore these are generally bought then eaten right after.
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| Classic Moroccan breakfast is served with cream cheese and of course butter |
Milk rice or couscous with cinnamon
This is among the easiest recipes in the world, I happened to consume this many times and I really enjoyed it. The recipe is so simple, as it's merely about cooking some rice in milk. Some also do this with either leftover rice or leftover couscous which is not spiced therefore its flavor merges nicely with the milk. Do nothing only stir occasionally. When ready you can add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon. The format of this is rather on the soup side and not on the saucy side.
Types of Moroccan dairy drinks
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| if there is no souk at hand people generally eat a Danone. Moroccans have recently won a boycott due to high prices against Danone so they can be all the happier. |
The "Danone" is how Moroccans mostly call all the homemade yogurts you can get to eat in the little bars which are in and around all bazaars in the Medina. These yogurts are served in simple glasses and Moroccans like to consume them with Moroccan bread mostly for breakfast. The taste of this is sweeter and the format is denser but I really liked its taste. These are not cooled down.
Raib -Moroccan Yogurt + Recipe
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| Most people buy their rain in a small tavern or milk shop which are all around town, especially around souks |
Ingredients
0,5 L of milk (that we are going to heat) - you can try this with one large cup (2-3 dl for start)
0,25 L of milk (that we are going to keep cool) - half a cup
1 small cup of plain yogurt (either plain, vanilla) - Danone :)
1/4 cup sugar or according to your taste - if you use vanilla sugar then use plain yogurt
1-2 tablespoons of orange blossom water -only if you have it, if not, you can use one or two drops of orange juice or lemon juice.
Preparation:
1. Pour the milk in a saucepan and mix it with the sugar. Slowly bring the 0,5l of milk to a boiling point. As soon the milk starts boiling remove it from the heat.
2. Let it cool down until it becomes lukewarm. Once the milk becomes warm, add the orange blossom water to it.
3. In the meantime mix the 250 ml of cold milk with the yogurt.
4. Add mixture to the milk and mix together.
5. Preheat your oven on 200F for 5-10 minutes then turn it off.
Place cups in a shallow baking pan, and pour the milk mixture into the cups. Cover the cups / baking pan with foil paper. Carefully put the baking pan with the cups in the oven and let them rest for 8-15 hours. 8-9 hours should do for a soft and smooth yogurt and 15 hours for a denser one. Do not disturb the cups for the first 8 hours. Then you can check on them. if you want drinking-yogurt then 8-9 hours should do. if you want a denser yogurt then a 15 to 16 hour waiting time is necessary.
6. After the resting time is passed, take them out of the oven, cover each cup with a plastic wrap or a similar cover, and place the cups in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours to let the yogurt set.
7. Serve cold.
The Moroccan Lben -fermented dairy drink
Also called Laban or Leben the classic sour-milk or buttermilk as they call it in the West. This drink is extremely popular in many Arabic countries. In my country we have to drink Kefir, Lben is most similar to that.
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| Lben - Looking like milk but it's not quite that |
The Moroccan Lben is a dairy beverage prepared by spontaneous fermentation and coagulation of whole raw milk, followed by churning, the addition of water, and removal of the butter. The butter is processed into Smen by washing, salting, and storage for at least 4–6 months at room temperature and protected from air and light. Laban is enjoyed as a refreshing beverage in the Middle East, especially Lebanon, Turkey, and Iran also in Morocco—in homes, cafes, and in cities where it is sold by street vendors. It is particularly popular following a meal of couscous to aid digestion. Lben is also an ingredient in many main dishes, often those with lamb, cucumber, and barley. its taste is sweeter than yogurt but it's very enjoyable.
People generally buy Lben. The taste of it is very similar to Kefir or to the Turkish Ayram. Thanks to its high probiotic and good bacteria it's said to be an especially healthy drink. It also feels very good when consumed cold in a hot climate.
Moroccan Milkshakes/Smoothies
In larger cities more and more little bars or restaurants also started to offer milkshakes, so these are pretty popular as well. Unlike most smoothies we know, however, Moroccan-style milkshakes and smoothies rarely include yogurt. This smoothie recipe features sweetened condensed milk (lait concentré sucré).
Click visit my earlier post about Moroccan Milkshakes to see further recipes
About the Moroccan Almond milk
To be honest, I never seen anybody in Morocco drinking this fancy drink, but if you are wondering what this is and how to prepare it please check out my post above on Milkshakes where you can find its recipe.
The Moroccan Smen - clarified fermented butter
The Moroccan preserved butter is known as having more of a cheesy taste than a butter flavor. It is often added to tagine recipes as well as many other traditional Moroccan dishes but is also enjoyed simply spread on bread. A little smen included in a dish will lend it a distinct flavor that can't be replicated by a substitute ingredient.
Although it's easy to prepare, you will need to let this sit to ferment and get its typical flavor.
Moroccan Smen butter recipe
Ingredients: All you need is butter and kosher salt
Preparation:
Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan. Increase the heat and bring the melted butter to a simmer. Simmer gently for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the milk solids on the bottom of the pot have turned a light amber.
Place a piece of cheesecloth over a bowl and carefully pour the clarified butter (not the solids) through a cheesecloth. Repeat this training several times if necessary to remove all traces of milk solids. You want only perfectly clear clarified butter for smen.
Stir the salt into the strained clarified butter, then pour it into a jar. Cover, and store in a cool, dark place (a cupboard is fine) for a month or longer.
After opening, store the smen in the refrigerator.
The Moroccan Cheese
Moroccans are not big cheese consumers but they like the cheese-butters and the mini cheeseballs or the cheese triangles ( la Vache Qui Rit) which generally come from France and are generally consumed for breakfast with Moroccan bread, butter, and olive oil.
People love these small triangular cheeses not only for their taste but because the small shops all around the residential buildings also sell these by piece ( one doesn't need to buy the whole pack) which makes this method much cheaper, especially for those who cannot afford to keep a fridge in their home.
One of the most popular cheeses in Morocco is Dutch Edam cheese, known locally as Boule Rouge, a big red ball. This Dutch cheese does not spoil, it only hardens.
Jben - Moroccan homemade cheese
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| the classic way Jben is served - really looking like ricotta. |
Jben is Morocco's version of fresh ricotta-like creamy cheese. It hails from the Rif Mountain region in the north of the country but is also enjoyed elsewhere, where it is prepared at home or available commercially. Jben is especially popular as a spread for bread at breakfast or tea time and as a filling, but it may be added to other dishes as well, or used in place of other fresh cheese. Moroccan Hotels and Riads generally serve them in the above-featured format to appear more stylish. It's often made out of goat milk.
Jben recipe
Ingredients
4 cups/1 liter milk (whole milk it has to be, the UHT milk won't cut it)
4 cups/1 liter buttermilk (or thick sour milk)
Optional: 2 cups/1/2 liter cream (heavy)
1 pinch of salt (or 1 teaspoon salt for salted jben)
cheesecloth or any clean textile that's suitable for
Preparation:
Heat the milk and salt (and cream, if included) in a saucepan until barely boils. Remove from the heat and stir in the buttermilk. Leave the mixture to curdle (rest) for at least an hour. (Or, cover the mixture with plastic and leave to rest overnight.)
Cover a colander with a large piece of cheesecloth then place the colander over a large bowl. Pour the curdled mixture into the sieve. This is, to remove the whey and all the other liquid that collects on top. This generally visibly divides after a good few hours. The masse that stays is the one that would become your cheese later on.
Gather the cheesecloth around the cheese and leave it to drain for several hours (or as long as overnight in the fridge) to make it denser and drier. Then remove the cheese from the cheesecloth. If you want to add any herbs, it's the best time to do it. Thyme, basil, or dried rosemary all complement the taste of the cheese. gently combine them with the cheese. Shape the jben by hand or in a mold for a nicer presentation. Serve immediately, or chill for up to several days.
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