Aussie vs Moroccan food & cuisine

Moroccans usually share food in a communal style while sitting on the floor; however, here, this communal way of eating is not called meze, which is more associated with Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Food is scooped from a shared bowl using only the right hand, and leftover juices are soaked out with bread. Moroccans usually eat at home; should they eat out, most locals would eat street foods rather than go to restaurants.

Quinoa has gained traction as health-conscious grain alongside other trendy ancient grains like farro or freekeh.

What’s interesting is that grains are a basis for that multicultural fusion, like rice bowls topped with Korean-spiced proteins, or sourdough bread, which Aussies are pretty obsessed with.

Grains are supporting and they are there when you need them, but they’re not going to steal the spotlight from the barbie or the flat white.

An essential wheat product is warqa pastry, resembling Eastern Mediterranean phyllo, made from leaf-thin dough, stretched out into sheets.

Couscous grains are made from steamed balls of semolina – the hardest part of durum wheat, which resists grinding. Couscous dishes vary: served with lamb, chicken, fish and are accompanied by a medley of vegetables and endless combinations of spices. Usually couscous is eaten on Fridays, the Muslim holy day.

Multicultural influence shows up here too – Asian bok choy is mainstream, avocados are super popular, and Mediterranean zucchini and eggplants show up grilled or in pasta dishes. The café culture has elevated vegetables with things like roasted vegetable salads, sweet potato everything, and Instagram-worthy veggie bowls.

There’s a growing awareness of native plants like saltbush, samphire, warrigal greens (native spinach), bush tomatoes, native yams, and desert lime, but they’re honestly more in the ‘chef’s special’ category than everyday cooking.

Classic fruits are central: mangoes, stone fruits, and berries, bananas are year-round staples; oranges and lemons are kitchen essentials. Native fruits are having their trendy moment too, with finger limes, Davidson plums, and kakadu plums popping up in high-end restaurants, though they’re still more of a novelty.

Fruit choice is wide, from local Mediterranean natives to tropical ones. Main meals are concluded with fresh fruits and assorted nuts: platters of fresh oranges, figs, dates, and melons, sometimes sprinkled with cinnamon. When fresh fruits are out of season, dried fruits take their place.

Dried dates, apricots, figs, and raisins are the signature of Moroccan cooking. Preserved lemons, or leems, are a crucial condiment to tagines.

Poultry is the most consumed meat, chicken is everywhere, from the Thai-spiced chicken parmi to simple grilled pieces alongside salads. Beef has a more special role: classic meat pies, premium steaks from Australia’s cattle industry.

Lamb is loved: roasts with rosemary and garlic, or chops on the barbie. Pork shows up as bacon in café brunches and as those essential snags that are basically mandatory at any outdoor gathering.

Kangaroo meat is authentically Australian, and it’s actually quite good – lean and gamey, one of the healthiest red meats (low-fat, high-protein). You’ll find it in supermarkets and definitely in trendy restaurants, often prepared with native peppers or bush spices. Ironically, most kangaroo meat is exported.

Crocodile is even more niche – mainly found in the northern parts and served as an experience. It’s surprisingly mild, tasting like a cross between chicken and fish.

Morocco stands out for its sophisticated approach to organ meats, particularly met in street food culture. Moroccans have many offal dishes, like couch (grilled liver skewers), boulfaf, where lamb liver is carefully wrapped in caul fat before grilling; tkalia, a complex stew incorporating tripe, lungs, and heart.

One of the most iconic Moroccan dishes, a tagine, refers both to the conical clay cooking vessel and the stew cooked in it. Lamb, beef, or chicken are slow-cooked with a medley of spices, dried fruits, vegetables. The slow cooking process in the tagine’s unique shape allows meat to become exceptionally tender.

Salmon is everywhere thanks to Tasmania’s aquaculture industry.  Snapper, flathead, and whiting are the reliable local catches.

Bugs are absolutely a thing. Moreton Bay bugs and Balmain bugs are lobster-like crustaceans,  Australia’s answer to langostines or small lobsters. They’ve got that sweet, delicate meat and are a real treat.

Beyond bugs, Australia’s got this incredible range of crustaceans – mud crabs from Queensland, rock lobsters (what the rest of the world calls spiny lobsters), and tiny school prawns that are perfect for fritters or just eating by the handful.

Butter is sacred in the baking of lamingtons, Anzac biscuits, classic Australian cakes, and slices.

Cream gets its moment in pavlovas and in various pasta sauces.

Yogurt has become huge thanks to the health-conscious culture.

Milk and dairy are not central  – fresh milk is rarely consumed. Leben, a fermented milk drink similar to buttermilk, is preferred. Raib is homemade fresh yogurt, creamy and smooth, enjoyed as a dessert or a snack. While not as central as in some other cuisines, fresh cheese jben arabi is common, served with bread and olives.

A distinctive ingredient of North African cuisine is smen – a salted, fermented butter, similar to ghee and niter kibbeh (Ethiopian clarified butter), but has a characteristically strong, rancid, and cheesy taste and smell. Smen can be fermented for over 20 years, perhaps even more.

You’ll find everything from elaborate brunch-style pancakes with berries and mascarpone to açai bowls, carrot cakes, banana bread, and various slices have become staples.

Seasonal fruit drives dessert culture – summer stone fruit tarts, berry pavlovas, and mango everything during the warmer months. Ice cream is almost a year-round obsession, with local brands like Golden Gaytime and Magnum becoming part of the cultural fabric, plus artisanal gelato shops in every trendy suburb.

Nuts are used in many desserts. Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts fill traditional pastries. Ground nuts are used in dips and spreads, for example, amlou, a Moroccan dip made with almonds, argan oil, and honey, and served with bread. Almonds and pine nuts are added to tagines and couscouses for texture and flavor.