The Ancestral Art of Gastronomy in Draa-Tafilalet

Everyday dishes

Soups and purees are on the menu every day. Modest but delicious, they are prepared from barley, turnips, semolina, or even chickpeas and split peas. Tarawayt mash, Goujtem soup, Ahrir n’Talffine, Afrass soup, and the delicious Talkhcha are just a few examples.

The region is also known for its couscouses, such as Ifnouzn’s made with alfalfa sprouts, or the legendary Baddaz made from cornmeal. Not to forget the delicious and satisfying Medfouna, a bread stuffed with meat, hard-boiled eggs, almonds, onions, and spices.

You will have the opportunity to live an exceptional olfactory experience if you choose to spend your trips at a guesthouse. Each dish will fill your senses with delicious smells that will whet your appetite.

Bread occupies an important place in Draa-Tafilalet meals. It is served with the traditional breakfast, tagines, and various méchouis. You will be served oven-baked Taddart, Tafernout, and Habbaz baked with hot stones, as well as Ramla bread baked on the sand. There are also additional types, such as the crispy Chtatou, Tourbisste stuffed with S’men, and the huge Abbadir from Midelt, which its diameter can reach over a meter.

Special occasions feasts

You just need to attend a feast to witness the worldwide known hospitality of Draa-Tafilalet’s people. Here are some foods that you will enjoy during festivals, Moussems, and celebrations:

• The traditional lamb, veal, goat, or camel méchouis, each with its distinct flavor. For good reason, they are marinated with special seasonings before being cooked with palm trees and thorns.
• Date tagine, a delicious sweet and salty specialty from the Draa valley tribes. It’s cooked with goat and camel meat and is frequently served as a second main dish at weddings.
• Couscous Hagouza is most commonly offered at the Yennayer, a feast celebrating the conclusion of the agricultural year. It’s a couscous dish made with fine semolina that’s topped with seven vegetables and a whole chicken.
• Goat meat tagine with candied apples with flavors of thyme, rosemary, and honey from Midelt.
• One of the most popular and rare delicacies in the Valleys is stuffed pigeons with meat, veggies, or vermicelli. It takes a long time to prepare, and the pigeons must be bred in the traditional method among the locals.