I’m hoping that the world is collectively starting to undergo a fresh start to 2020.  Ramadan is ending with an Eid weekend this year.  The first phase of deconfinement also seems to be going well in most cities around the world.  We have certainly had some memorable Iftar meals at home, but are glad to be out for occasional picnics now.  The Iftar Box from Ramadan Box Paris was one of our clear favorites among the new take out options.  

Before the lockdown, we used to get takeaway from a little traiteur on Rue Cler anytime Jalal had a craving for Moroccan food.  The owners had downsized from a restaurant in the 16th arrondissement once their children had left for college.  Hopefully, the small family owned business will survive the shut down.  

When Jalal stumbled upon Ramadan Box on Instagram, I knew it would be a great surprise for him.  To keep it a secret, I had to figure out the menu on my own and order in French.  It was actually super easy.  You can order on WhatsApp, but the website has some photos and descriptions to navigate the set menus versus a la carte options.   

Although Jalal and I haven’t had the chance to travel to Morocco together because of work schedules, I had some unbelievably diverse Moroccan food during a trip through  northern Morocco a few years ago.  I haven’t tried many Moroccan recipes myself beyond couscous, but the more I explore the more similarities I find to Bandladeshi cooking. 

The hospitality culture is very similar too, with lots of family style dining.  A lot of my mom’s best cooking included citrus based beef or chicken curries such as beef and shatkora.  But something about combining citrus with stews intimidates me.  This also goes for Moroccan lemon-based tajines. 

Ramadan Box Paris offers a variety of set menus starting from 11.99 Euros for daily box specials that include a main dish and a variety of other hearty Iftar staples such as boiled egg, dates, soup, and dessert. Family style “tasty boxes” starting at 29.99 Euros include more savory snacks such as meni quiches and pizzas. Or you can order a la carte like I did to try what you like.

Brochettes et sa Charmoula (chicken kebab in a tomato garlic herb sauce)

Charmoula is a sauce and marinade popular in North African cuisine.  The exact composition of recipes vary across countries and regions. Although you can find spicy harissa sauce in most North African kebabs shops in Paris, I am learning that Tunisian cuisine is the hottest among the trio of countries.  The Algerian and Moroccan charmoula recipes are similar and are based on olive oil, garlic, flat parsley, cilantro, and spices. The Tunisian version is based on a mixture of onions, raisins, and olive old. This sauce goes great with grilled fish, poultry, or vegetables. I was obsessed with the Ramadan Box charmoula sauce, which had lots of tomato, garlic, and cilantro. It was equally yummy paired with the chicken kebabs and on its own with the flatbreads.

M’semen

M’semen is traditional semolina layered flatbread.  Msemen is usually served with honey or mint tea.  M’semen can also be stuffed with meat.  The flaky layers remind me of the homemade Bangladeshi flatbreads I grew up on, though the South Asian variety is usually made with ghee (clarified butter) or stuffed with potatoes.  Ramadan Box Paris offers plain, onions and pepper, or ground meat stuffed versions.  

Pastilla

Jalal has a major sweet tooth, so a pastilla was a must to include.  Also pronounced bastila, the name is said to originate from the Spanish word for pastry.  This is a indulgent  savory and sweet meat pie that is usually served on special occasions such as weddings and holidays.  Traditionally, pastillas are made from pigeon in Morrocco. The meat filling is covered in a very thin pastry leaf called warqa and sprinkled with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon.  Warqa pastry is thinner than phyllo pastry, so it has a crunchy texture. 

Next time, I will order the mini pastillas so we can compare the chicken and fish which seems to be more popular in Tunisia. 

Harira Soup

Another Moroccan Iftar staple is harira soup, which is made from lentils, tomatoes and chickpeas.  Not to be mistaken for the spicy harissa condiment. Harira is derived from the Arabic word for silk in a reference to the soup’s texture after it’s been thickened with rue like flour and water mixture or eggs. Sometimes it includes ground meat, but I prefer the vegetarian version.

Chebakia

Of course a good Moroccan Iftar would not be complete without some sweets. Chebakia is a Moroccan sesame based dessert which is shaped into a flower, fried, and drenched in honey. Jalal is always talking about the health benefits of sesame seeds, so hopefully that cancels out the sugar in the chebakia 😉

It is traditionally served at Iftar or special occasions and a perfect sweet ending to our meal with some freshly poured Moroccan mint tea.  

Ramadan Box Paris Details

Website: https://ramadanboxparis.com/

Whatsapp : 06 65 06 69 38

You can place orders in advance, but they need to be placed by 2 pm for same day delivery.