Basic Sweet Moroccan M'qualli Recipe for Sweet Toppings or Stewed Fruits

Moroccan m'qualli-style dishes that are served with sweet toppings or stewed fruits are prepared according to a precise codification. This codification includes a set of aromatics and even the type of meat to use in order to make the best pairing.

A great number of dishes in Moroccan cooking falls under the m'qualli category. Poultry, rabbit, beef, calf or lamb can be used depending on the type of vegetable or fruit accompanying them. As for chicken and rabbit, both whole or jointed are acceptable. The latter is more convenient especially if using a small cooking pot or tagine.

How to flavor a sweet m'qualli

Most sweet versions of m'qualli call for hardly any garlic, if any, in the sauce. This is in contrast to non-sweet m'quallis, such as those with olives or vegetables, where the presence of garlic is noticeable. The same applies to parsley and coriander. And, since a sweet m'qualli should have a "clean" marqa or sauce, we tie the herbs in a bouquet to stay in control of them. It is common to add a spoonful of chopped herbs, but more than that is not good for the presentation of the dish. We are mainly after a reduced sauce with a yellow-tone.

Primary spices and aromatics

The primary seasonings for a sweet m'qualli dish are saffron, ginger, black and/or white pepper, and cinnamon. Cinnamon sticks are preferred to ground cinnamon as the sticks allow you to stay in control of the color of the marqa; ground cinnamon might darken it.

Complementary spices and aromatics

Turmeric, a bouquet of herbs (optional), a touch of smen (optional), a sweet version of Ras el Hanout (depending on families), and a touch of honey or sugar are also added to bring both flavor profiles of the dish together with a precise balance of sweet and savory.

Any other spice is not welcome in this dish. Cumin especially is an unwanted addition. It has wrongly become synonymous with Moroccan cooking because many cookbooks and published recipes claim it should be used in almost every type of Moroccan dish. This is not true.

The garlic-gate in Fassi cuisine

In Fez and nearby regions, the subtle marriage of sweet and savory is found in a number of famous traditional dishes. In this region, such dishes usually do not have garlic added in them, and the same holds true for other recipes with a sweet note. My mother, who moved to Casablanca decades ago, will add only one clove of garlic to the whole dish, even if it will serve 12, while my other aunties are still loyal to the old ways. If you ask me, the one clove of garlic does not really make a difference in the dish, but more will be an issue.

Daghmira, the thick Moroccan onion gravy

The unmistakable signature of m'qualli is daghmira, a thick, paste-like onion gravy. In many cases, especially for festive dishes which fall under m'qualli, daghmira is served as a topping to the meat or chicken. In the case of other types of sweet dishes, t is not needed. However, you will need to reduce the sauce to a syrupy texture while making sure the onions are well cooked to a soft texture.

Which onions to use for m'qualli?

Some onions tend to melt and help with the syrupy textures while others will stay somewhat firm even after 45 minutes of cooking. When the onions are so watery and tender that they melt without the addition of water—this is the case with bassla khaddariya, a sort of large spring onion—we tend to add more sliced or chopped onions halfway through cooking, setting meat or chicken aside if it has already cooked.  The additional onion will cook in the remaining sauce, sometimes topped up, until the desired consistency is reached. This adaptation is seasonal according to the freshness and type of onion used. Red onion, such as the one used in Indian cooking, is out of scope in such recipes but a seasonal pinkish version we have in Morocco will do just fine.