A triple delight

Fresh homemade recipes are the order of the day at the Novotel Al Dana Resort with three pairs of wonder hands preparing marvellous Moroccan meals to savour.

Batoul Jermoun, Fathima Benkazzou and Habiba are home away from home at the hotel's Al Yacout restaurant cooking up authentic and original Moroccan cuisine.

Habiba, 30, said: "I feel at home here as everything is very Moroccan - even many of the staff."

Fathima, 48, added: "This is my first time out of Morocco. I wanted to see more of the world - different cultures, traditions and cuisines - and at least I will not get home-sick working here."

Each chef uses her own special ingredients and knowledge to prepare an array of special dishes including appetisers, main courses and desserts.

The restaurant offers diners two Moroccan set menus including favourites such as cold and hot Moroccan mezza, soups, sweets, pastries, bread, couscous, mixed grills, sea food and meat dishes alongside a selection of vegetables such as spinach, beetroot, carrot and eggplant.

A special attraction at the restaurant is the tajin, explained Batoul, 57 - a type of dish popular in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. It is named after the special flat clay pot in which the food is cooked. It has a dome-shaped cover to keep the food warm and is also used during cooking.

The restaurant offers a choice of chicken with lemon, fish hammour, tajin kofta with eggs and lamb tajin.

Appetisers on the menu include assorted briwatte with seafood, beef, chicken and cheese; seafood pastia which is seafood with onion, garlic and parsley; chicken pastia - chicken with onion, garlic, parsley and almond and marinated shrimps and calamari with tomato.

Aside from the tajin, guests can choose from other main course dishes including a mixed seafood grill or couscous with lamb and seasonal vegetables.

To give a final touch the restaurant provides an array of Moroccan sweets to follow.

The restaurant is set in a comfortable and cozy spot facing the sea with the interiors giving a sneak peak into a rich Moroccan culture.

In the evenings, the ambience is charged with Morrocan music and performances by a belly dancer.

This week the restaurant's kitchen queens share a favourite recipe with GulfWeekly readers. We will feature some more of their dishes in future editions.

Royal couscous

Ingredients

(Serves one)

Lamb 200gm

Couscous 150gm

Carrot 10gm

Baby marrow 10gm

Pumpkin 10gm

Onion 10gm

Tomato 10gm

White radish 10gm

Chickpeas 5gm

Corn oil 20 ml

Ginger powder 2gm

Saffron 2gm

Salt and pepper 5gm

Coriander 3gm

Method

Steam the lamb with onion after cleaning. Add oil, ginger, saffron, salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, clean and cut vegetables and later mix it with the lamb and cook for around 20 minutes.

At the same time, blend a tomato, add it to the mix with a small bouquet of coriander.

Pour the couscous into water. Steam for 15 minutes. Add some more water and mix with corn oil and salt.

Present and arrange the couscous with the lamb and vegetables as shown in the picture.