Morocco has a long history with the American film industry. Many classics and modern blockbusters have been filmed in Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou. Other filming locations include: Erfoud, Marrakech, Essaouira, and Casablanca. Read below for our own adventures on the route of a thousand kasbahs: in Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou...and learn the secret to making a fabulous meal of tagine and couscous.
Daniel
For photos, click here.
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| Ait Benhaddou |
Ouarzazate
Since 1962 (the filming of Lawrence of Arabia) movie makers have been flocking to the film capital of Morocco - Ouarzazate. Afterall how could film makers resist the beautiful desert landscape scattered with palm trees and backed by distant mountains.
Hidden in the surrounding city, away from the sprawling film sets - Seb brought us to a very real place - more so than any film set could create. We spent most of our time in Ouarzazate visiting the Association Horizon des Handicapes. It was founded in 1994 to help people with both physical and mental disabilities by the Moroccan government. It helps these people find a way to integrate into society. We got a personal tour of all the facilities: orthopedic workshop, physiotherapy center, youth center (recently closed due to lack of funding). It wasn't until halfway through the tour that we realized that our guide was in fact the director of the entire operation. He was very humble and extremely focused on their mission. We also visited the workshops where the handicapped members were learning how to make various handicrafts to help them integrate and fund the association. It was great to see all the hard work help so many grateful people.
If you are interested in giving to the cause you can email (horizondeshandicapes@yahoo.fr) to donate money. Or visit their website to learn more: http://associationhorizon.africa-web.org
Ait Benhaddou
Famous for the fortress-like Kasbah, Ait Benhaddou has been the backdrop for a long list of Hollywood films including: Lawrence of Arabia, Jesus of Nazareth, and Gladiator.
Much of the lower part has been privately restored mostly influenced by the filmmakers. However, recent renovations have been overseen by UNESCO and the Moroccan government. We spent some time exploring the rocky hill that the Kasbah sits on. Only 5 families still actually live – it's clearly just a tourist destination since few people live there who aren’t trying to get money from the droves of tourists that visit everyday.
We stayed for one night in the new village just across the practically dry river bed from the Kasbah. Our accommodations were basic and uninteresting. Luckily, Seb had a friend who entertained us with good food, stories, and some cooking lessons. Hussein aka Hussein Crow – runs a family restaurant (soon to be small hotel) in the new village. He is best described as the most outgoing & energetic Moroccan we encountered on our trip. His family has lived in the same building for generations – he spent a good while explaining the pictures of his father and grandfather that proudly displays in his home. He also claims to be the Moroccan version of Russell Crow because of his continued success as a film extra over the years. We assume, his recent success, has allowed him to expand his home to include a private hamam, rooftop terrace (with views of the Kasbah), and new hotel rooms still under construction. He was very entertaining and extremely passionate about how to properly cook Couscous & Tagine. By this time we had learned that these two dishes make up the backbone of Moroccan cuisine. Here are the recipes that Hussein and his sister taught us.
Couscous, Cooking time: 2hr, 15min
Ingredients:
- Chicken pieces (with bones)
- Olive oil
- Couscous grains
- ½ teaspoon: salt, pepper, cumin
- 1 teaspoon: paprika, ginger, saffron
- Water
- Vegetables: onions, carrots, potato, tomato, zucchini, squash, eggplant, green pepper
Cooking Instructions:
- Coat chicken with olive oil
- Place chicken in pan on medium heat
- Add spices, sliced onion, 2 cups of water
- After 15min, add hard vegetables (carrots & potatoes)
- Drizzle oil and water over couscous, massage through and place in double boiler over Chicken
- Cook for 30 minutes “massage” couscous again
- Cook for 20-25 minutes “massage” couscous again
- Add soft vegetables (tomato, zucchini, squash, eggplant, green pepper)
- Cook for 20-25 minutes “massage” couscous again
- Do not cook for longer than 2hrs 15min
- Serve
Tagine, Cooking time: 1hr, 10min
Ingredients:
- Chicken pieces (with bones)
- Olive oil
- Spices: salt, pepper, paprika, ginger, saffron
- Vegetables: onions, carrots, potato, peas, olives, beans, green pepper, tomato
Cooking Instructions:
- Coat chicken with olive oil
- Add spices: salt, pepper, paprika, ginger, saffron
- Place chicken in pan on medium heat
- After 10min, add water
- Slice onions, add to pan
- Slice other veggies: carrot, potato, peas, olives, beans, green pepper, tomato
- Add a little more water
- Cook for 45 minutes
Serve
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