From Mama’s Kitchen With Love: Moroccan-French Recipes

Give your family a taste of something new and delicious.

One of the most fascinating things about living in Hong Kong is the amazing melting pot of cultures and cuisines our kids get exposed to. Take a break from your usual fare and try something different with these Moroccan-French recipes. Mama’s Kitchen is a restaurant in Central that features dishes prepared with love by mamas from all parts of the world. This month, we got one of their talented mums, Hanane Sabri, to showcase some of her favourite recipes.

Read more: Ethnic Grocery Stores In Hong Kong: Where To Find Your Favourite Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds large carrots, peeled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon harissa
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• Toasted sesame seeds, for topping

Method:

Boil salted water in a large pot. Add the carrots and boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the water and let it cool slightly, then slice into ¼-inch coins. In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil, harissa, garlic, lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon salt, and some pepper. Toss with the carrots to coat, then toss with the cilantro and parsley. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. You can serve it warm, at room temp, or even refrigerate until ready to serve.

Ingredients:

• ½ block melted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 1 litre of milk
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese, finely grated
• 5 cups of boiled thinly sliced peeled potatoes (approximately 6 medium potatoes)

Method:

The recipe for this popular French dish is relatively simple. In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil, cook and stir for two minutes or until thickened, getting a smooth Béchamel sauce.

Transfer the thinly sliced potatoes to a greased 2-quart baking dish, then pour the Béchamel sauce and put the Gruyère cheese on top. Bake at 220°F for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and the cheese is golden brown.

Ingredients:

For the tomato sauce:

• • 2 pounds of fresh, ripe tomatoes
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 3 bell peppers (use all three colours)
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
  • 3 to 5 cloves garlic
  • 2½ teaspoons paprika
  • 1½ teaspoons cumin powder
  • 1½ teaspoons ginger powder
  • 1½ teaspoons red Cajun powder
  • 1½ teaspoons turmeric
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the meatballs:

• • • 1 pound ground beef
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley (save some for garnish)
    • 2 teaspoons paprika
    • 1 teaspoon ginger
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ to ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 2 tablespoons of flour
    • Optional: 1 or 2 chilli peppers
    • 2 to 4 eggs (for the last step)

Method:

For the meatballs, combine the ground beef, onion, parsley, paprika, cumin, turmeric salt, black pepper, flour, and cayenne pepper. Using your hands to knead in the spices and herbs, shape the mixture into very small meatballs the size of large cherries — about ¾-inch in diameter. Keep these aside for the moment.

For the tomato base, peel and grill the onions with garlic and ginger and some olive oil. Add three colourful peppers to the grilled onions, and mix well. Peel and chop the tomatoes or, if they’re very ripe, cut the tomatoes in half and grate them. Mix the tomatoes with chopped onions, garlic and peppers and after 10 minutes, add parsley, paprika, cumin, ginger, red Cajun powder, turmeric, salt, and black pepper in the base of a tagine or a large deep skillet.

Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-low to medium heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat a bit and allow the sauce to simmer gently. Wait for at least 15 to 20 minutes (longer if you like), before adding the meatballs.

Add the meatballs (and chilli peppers, if using) to the tomato sauce, along with a little water (¼ cup is usually sufficient) and cover. Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the sauce is thick. Add the eggs to the tagine without breaking the yolks. Cover and cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes, or until the egg whites are solid and the yolks are only partially set.

Read more: Indian Curry Recipes From One Wholesome Meal