Ramadan in Morocco!


All Yum Yummy Ramadan Recipes in Morocco!
Ramadan table in Morocco, Cuisine that combines History, Tradition and Culture!

Recettes bien gourmandes pour Ramadan sur notre table marocaine.
 Héritage, Culturel et Tradition!

 وصفة رمضانية مغربية 

Ramadan = رمظان is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and the most sacred of the twelve months of the year.  The blessed month of Ramadan, and according to Islam Religion, marks the anniversary of the revelation of the Quoran (or Coran or Koran = القرآن), to The Prophet Mohammed (or Mohammad =  الرسول محمد صلي الله عليه وسلم), who used to retreat in the Cave of Hira.

During Ramadan, all Muslims around the world abstain from food and drink during the daylight hours. It is One (1) Month Celebratory Holiday for all Muslims, but there are also deeper spiritual meanings tied to this month.  Ramadan is not all about "Food" and "Drink", but it is an occasion that marks the beginning of the Month, during which all Muslims reflect upon their actions over the past year, seek forgiveness for their transgressions, purify their soul, refocus on spiritual practice and help the poor and needy.

The fast starts the First Day of the Month of Ramadan according to the Islamic calendar, and since the Gregorian date changes every year, so whatever date Ramadan starts, it is assumed that it will start about 10-12 days earlier the following year, and so on.

Last year Ramadan started on August 2nd, 2011 (I remember so well the date, since it was my son Nassim's Birthday), so this year the First Day of Ramadan is likely to start around July 20th or 21st, 2012, and then around July 11th or 12th, 2013 (the year after), and so on.

Ramadan is viewed as the Month of giving and generosity and all Muslims have the obligation to assess and pay their Zakat during Ramadan. Zakat is the arabic word for the acts that we call "Charity" as known in English language, and it refers to the obligation that all Muslims have to donate a certain proportion of their wealth each year.  However the act of  "Charity" is quite different from the obligation of Zakat in Islam.  If Charity suggests a magnanimous act by a small group of people who are very wealthy and powerful for the benefit of the poor or a certain institution, Zakat is rather a mandatory process, and not considered as a magnanimous act.

 It is obligatory upon all Muslims to give a certain percentage of their wealth and assets each year to the poor and needy.  Zakat is viewed as an act of justice, fairness in taxation, and a Muslim's duty". 

Most tourists avoid travelling to Morocco during Ramadan, but if you happen to be there during this month, it is good to know before you land that Ramadan is a very special time for Moroccans and all Muslims in the world. Of course you are not expected to fast and Moroccans are tolerant of non-Muslims eating, drinking and smoking during Ramadan, and in tourist areas you will be able to find a few restaurants and food stores open during the day to serve non-Muslims, but it is good to show some respect and avoid doing this publicly, instead, you can eat in the Hotel during the day.

Even if Ramadan means fasting all day from dawn to sunset, this does not mean "Light Food or Less Cooking". Actually, in Morocco, there are so many traditional, rich and versatile dishes made specially for Ramadan and which differ widely from one region to another.  The main meal in Ramadan is Ftour =الفطور in Moroccan Darija or Iftar = إفطار in classic Arabic, which means the end of fasting at sunset.  Ftour is a happy, special occasion for all families to get-together around the table, listening to Koran or simply watching TV, chatting, cooking, sharing recipes, etc.....

Tradition:

1 )There is a traditional practice of Ftour in Morocco, which is the Air Raid Siren, called "Zowaka" = الزواكة in Morocan Darija, that goes off and could be heard throughout the whole town to announce the end of fasting.   So if you happen to be visiting Morocco in Ramadan, don't be surprised if you hear the air raid siren blasting out at sunset.  Eventually this loud sound is followed immediately by the ritual “Adan or Athan” =آذان, the call to prayer. This tradition has been stopped in some towns, and replaced by a recorded sound, aired on national TV or Radio.

2 )During the whole Month Ramadan in Morocco, there are many charities, volunteers and mosques throughout the kingdom, who hand out free Ftour to the poor and the needy.

3 )After Ftour, most families, including children will start going out to have fresh air, forget about food and enjoy the rest of the evening.  Needless to mention that working and school hours are greatly reduced to suit Ramadan hours.

4 )There is another tradition called "Nafar"=النفّار, a volunteer who is a kind of town "Crier", whose task is walking down the streets, and playing a special instrument, like a trumpet, or calling people by their family names, to wake them up for Shour=السّحور.

5)Since Ramadan is the time for celebrations, all Moroccans send greetings and best wishes to their family members, hoping that they have a long life and a healthy one.  A long time ago, greetings were conveyed by family visits one or two days before the starting of Ramadan, talking about the excitement and preparation of Ramadan, and enjoying a fresh mint tea.  However, nowadays, most greetings are conveyed in the form of phone calls, text messaging, e-mail, facebook, twitter, blogging, etc...
Wish all of  you and your Family a very Blessed Ramadan Mobarak!
Ftourkom Mabrouk, as we say in Morocco
فتوركم مبروك

Ramadan Food in Morocco: There are so many traditional dishes, served during this special month, here are a few of them:

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بغرير 
حَرْشَة / مْبَسّسْ / كسرة
مْلْوي   
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عصير الحامض الخْظْرْ- بُوعْوِيدْ

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Thanks for stopping by my site! 
Mamatkamal, K. El Mary





4 comments:

karim said...

Bon Ramadan vous aussi Madame et merci pour cet article sur Ramadan au Maroc, et toutes ces recettes. De Paris où je me trouve, je vous slaut. Quand j'ai le temps d'aller visiter les sites que j'aime et le votre en fait partie, je vous dis bravo pour votre grand site.
Tous mes respects,
Karim

22 March 2012 17:58
Soumiya22 said...

Happy Ramadan. Je vous appelle la doyenne de la cuisine marocaine! Je serai passé manger chez vous avec beaucoup de plaisir et gourmandise. Merci pour ce beau site sur la cuisine marocaine et ramadan.
Soumiya

23 May 2012 10:15
deros said...

Ramadan Kareem!
Thanks for your blog, easy to read and understand. Will try some from your recipe to make my Ramadan dishes more full and raditional.
May Allah bless you and your family.
Mariya

21 July 2012 20:20
Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Fabulous food! Right up my alley. I'm drooling like crazy now... ;-P

Bon Ramadan!

Grosses bises,

Rosa

31 July 2012 08:41

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