The chef, who hails from Tunisia, has also included a few dishes from Egypt on the already extensive buffet menu. The tagine, a cooking vessel made of clay, is commonly used across North Africa, although the dishes and preparation methods vary widely. There are over 200 ways of preparing a dish with couscous, a staple in the Maghreb region. Muslim invaders brought exotic spices such as saffron, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon to the region from the Spice Islands of eastern Indonesia. Zalabia, a North African dessert, is a variation of our very own jalebi, and possibly reached the far-flung Maghreb region thanks to the Turkish Ottomans, who are also credited with bringing with them other sweet pastries.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 26, 2017 08:48 UTC