North Africa · Drink
Raib (Traditional Sweetened Fermented Curd Milk)
Velvety, spoonable fermented curd scented with orange blossom water, traditionally cultured in clay vessels across Moroccan mahlabas.
The story
Across the bustling boulevards of Casablanca, Marrakech, and Tangier, neighbourhood dairy bars known as mahlabas display rows of chilled earthenware terrines filled with freshly set Raib. This lightly sweetened, custard-like cultured dairy staple is beloved as a cooling afternoon refreshment and an indispensable element of late-night Ramadan suhur tables to soothe digestion. Technically, authentic artisanal Raib achieves its signature taut, gelatin-free set through controlled low-temperature incubation combined with standardisation of milk solids.
Cook this next
Atay bi Naa-Naa (Gunpowder Green Tea with Fresh Spearmint)
A ritualistic, frothy infusion of gunpowder green tea, bruised spearmint, and sugar poured from high to create the crowning rezza foam.
Babbouche (Herbal Broth-Stewed Land Snails)
Tender wild land snails simmered in an intensely aromatic, therapeutic broth infused with bitter orange peel, wild thyme, licorice root, and caraway.
Baghrir (Semolina Honeycomb Thousand-Hole Pancakes)
Lacy, spongy semolina pancakes riddled with delicate honeycomb bubbles, saturated in warm orange blossom honey and melted butter.
Bastilla bil Djaj (Moroccan Spiced Chicken and Almond Pie)
Crispy layers of warqa pastry encasing shredded saffron chicken, caramelized onion-egg reduction, and toasted cinnamon-orange almonds.