Morocco

2023! We finally made it to the African continent! And what a better place to start than Morocco, where food is not just about sustenance, it is a tradition and a social ritual.

Morocco’s geographical position on the north-west of Africa encouraged the use of spices typical to the region. However, its proximity to the Mediterranean meant that the people had to try to maintain the identity during the rich history of different rulers.

The first inhabitants in Morocco were the Barbers, around the start of the AD calendar, who introduced the staple Moroccan dishes of couscous and tagines (the food and the vessel in which it is served). Yes, those meals are THAT old! The key ingredients included dates, figs together with poultry and lamb.

During the 7th century, the Arabs invaded Morocco and introduced breads and grains into Moroccan cuisine as well as spices like saffron, ginger and cumin. They also brought with them Persian traditions for sweet and sour cooking techniques.

During the 7th and 8th centuries, Jewish communities fled to Morocco for safety. With them they brought pickling and preservation techniques. And the lost Ghanaian Empire of Ouagadougou introduced Islamic mysticism rituals often including culinary practices and free food.

Throughout history, other empires made additions to the Moroccan cuisine, including The Moors who brought olives and Ottomans who introduced tendered barbeques kebabs.

Flat bread is served with every meal in Morocco. It can be used instead of cutlery to scoop up food with the bread squeezed between the thumb and two fingers. According to tradition, the bread is sacred and should not be thrown away, so the leftovers are often given to the animals.

With so many cultures contributing to Moroccan culture, the countless variety of dishes in its modern cuisine is not surprising. From fish from the nearby seas to the perfectly spiced meats, Moroccan food combines flavours and textures. It’s worth noting that Morocco, unlike many other countries, produces all the food it needs to feed its people, so their vegetable and fruit gardens are plentiful and locally sourced.

Zizou Tagine

The Zizou Tagine in Balham is named after the Chef that started and runs the restaurant - Zizou. This is a compact restaurant that really packs in the tables, has some wonderful Moroccan influenced decor such as the amazing collection of lamp shades and provides an energetic vibe, just right for a Moroccan meal. Other than perhaps the slightly too loud pop music at the end of the evening. If you are coming here, book early; especially if you are a large party. The restaurant is extremely popular and sometimes runs out of chairs.

There was a good selection of the type of dishes that you'd expect to see for an authentic Moroccan meal, with some options for the vegetarian amongst you. The variety of starters pleased our eyes and taste buds, the “tub” of homemade hummus was just excellent.

The tagines were excellent, with a wonderfully balanced use of spices and flavours that gave the dishes a satisfying smoky edge that delighted the taste buds. One thing to point out; be aware that you'll need to order couscous separately to any Tagine dish, it does not come as standard. The Zizou is also a BYOB place, but luckily there is a supermarket just around the corner.

One downside of the restaurant being so popular is that it can get a little hectic in the kitchen, which did result in a couple of our dishes being forgotten about but brought out swiftly when we mentioned it.