Moroccan Zaalouk Recipe • A Tasty African Salad! | Club Foody

 

In my early 20s’, one of my interests was to try different foods, different cuisines. Back then, there was a big phone book and besides the white pages, there was also a “yellow” section with different categories for a quicker search 🧐. In the restaurant section, each of them were classified by their cuisine.
 
A friend of mine and I were taking turns picking a different ethnic restaurant each month via the yellow pages. That’s how we both discovered the amazing Moroccan cuisine with its flavorful dishes and aromatic spices 🥰.
 
A few months later, we went back with another couple. This time, we ordered so many dishes, it was insane! I remember starting with a soup called Harira then there was Couscous, chicken pastilla, Lamb Tajine as well as Kefta Tajine, along with khubz (flatbread) 🍞 and marinated olives.
 
Another one that was on our table that night was Moroccan Zaalouk! This warm eggplant salad is amazingly flavorful! With tomatoes 🍅 along with garlic and spices, this is a popular Moroccan dish to enjoy. It can be served warm or cold as a side dish or an appetizer with pita bread, khubz, or crostini.
 
This makes the perfect side dish for poached fish 🐟, grilled chicken or pork, lamb, and others. The other way is to garnish with lemon zest and chopped parsley and enjoy it as a dip with crusty bread. It’s also a nice vegetarian recipe to eat on its own.
 
The secret for a bold flavorful Moroccan Zaalouk is roasting the eggplant 🍆 to get that beautiful smoky taste in the background. To amplify it, I like adding some smoked paprika in the mixture. Other herbs and seasonings added are cumin, cilantro, parsley, and cayenne pepper.
 
After the eggplants are cooked in the oven and cooled for 20 minutes, the flesh is scooped out into a large pot. All the ingredients are added and it’s simmered gently for half-and-hour. At the end of cooking, I like adding another tablespoon of lemon juice 🍋 just to brighten it up.
 
The texture is a personal preference. Most restaurants serve it chunkier but I like mine like a paste… almost puréed. To achieve that smooth texture, I use my meat chopped but a potato masher does a good job as well 😉.
 
This versatile Moroccan Zaalouk is a delightful recipe to add to your folder! It can be a side dish, a dip, or simply spoon it over rice 🍚. With its gorgeous smokiness, this is an earthy dish to try! If you enjoy Baba Ghanoush, Caponata, Muhammara, and other similar dishes then you’ll love this warm salad!
Bon Appétit! 🍽
 
Here are more delicious African recipes for you to try… 😀
– Bunny Chow
– Moroccan Potato Salad
– Hawawshi
– North African Chicken Thighs with Dates & Pomegranate Molasses
– Peri Peri Chicken
– Ethiopian Red Pepper Sauce
– Shakshouka
– North African Merguez
and for even more appetizer recipes 🍣, click on this link… Recipe Category • Appetizers

For ingredient amounts, directions, and much more, visit ➡ https://clubfoody.com/cf-recipes/moroccan-zaalouk/

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