THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MIDDLE EASTERN AND MOROCCAN FOOD
We aren’t here today to write to you only about the many merits of our Halal restaurant in Orlando. While we could certainly talk ourselves blue in the face about all the delectable menu items we have on offer (try the hummus or grape leaves as an appetizer), we wanted to better examine the difference between Middle Eastern and Moroccan cuisines. Sometimes we’ll have customers walk through our doors and ask us about how we serve Moroccan, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean food, so we thought this would be an appropriate place for folks to get an answer to their questions, so they can focus on the cucumber with yogurt, the 15 Halal wings with fries, the tabouli, or even the lamb couscous, which is particularly pleasing to the senses!
MOROCCAN FOOD
Let’s start with a cold-hard fact of the industry; the two terms are used almost interchangeably. A decent parallel to draw would be how various cuisines from the European mainland are described as “continental” by some. As you might be able to guess, there is a significant distinction between Lebanese and Moroccan cuisines, for instance. And while Morocco is considered part of North Africa (along with Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya) the Middle East includes other Arab countries in addition to Iran, Turkey, and Israel.
But back to the food discussion! Moroccan cuisine, more strictly speaking, involves a mixture of Mediterranean, Arabic, and Andalusian influences, along with less preponderant influences from Sub-Saharan and European cultures.
A hallmark of Moroccan cuisine is in its spices. From saffron to mint to cumin, turmeric and cinnamon, there are 27 spices which make up the famous Moroccan spice mixture known as ras el hanout.
