What should you eat in Morocco?

Moroccan food is one of the reasons people come back. It is not spicy in the chilli sense; it is fragrant, slow-cooked and built around bread.

The dishes to try

Tagine. Named after the conical clay pot it is cooked in. Lamb with prunes, chicken with preserved lemon and olives, or kefta with egg are the classics.

Couscous. Traditionally Friday food, served after prayers. If you are offered couscous on a Friday, say yes.

Harira. A tomato, lentil and chickpea soup, eaten year round and especially to break the fast during Ramadan.

Pastilla. A sweet and savoury pie, usually pigeon or chicken, dusted with cinnamon and sugar. Strange on paper, excellent in practice.

Mint tea

Poured from a height, sweet by default, and offered constantly. Refusing the first glass is fine; refusing all three is rude.

Eating in the square

Jemaa el-Fna in Marrakech turns into an open-air food market every evening. Pick a stall that is busy with locals, and eat what is being cooked in front of you.

If you are a fussy eater

You will be fine. Grilled meats, bread, rice, chips, omelettes and fruit are on every menu alongside the tagines.