What do Moroccans eat during Ramadan?

Ramadan reshapes everything in Morocco — the streets empty in the afternoon, then come alive at dusk as the entire country sits down to break the fast together. Even as a non-fasting visitor, sharing a ftour (the sunset meal, also called iftar) is one of the most intimate, generous experiences travel offers here. The food is specific, ritualised and absolutely delicious.

The fast is broken the moment the maghrib call to prayer sounds — traditionally with a date and a sip of milk or buttermilk, exactly as the Prophet did. Then comes the centrepiece: harira, the rich tomato, lentil and chickpea soup thickened with flour and herbs, fragrant with ginger and celery, brightened with a squeeze of lemon. During Ramadan it's everywhere, simmering in vast pots, and nothing tastes better after a long fast.

Alongside the harira sits the iconic Ramadan sweet: chebakia — strips of sesame dough folded into rose shapes, deep-fried, then bathed in honey and orange blossom and rolled in sesame seeds. The sweetness restores energy fast, and the contrast with the savoury soup is the flavour of the whole month. The table also fills with hard-boiled eggs, msemen and harcha (griddle breads), briouats, dates, figs and chebbakia's cousin sellou. Many add a glass of sweet milk or fresh juice.

Before dawn comes suhur (or s'hor) — a quieter, lighter meal to carry people through the fasting day, often slow-release foods like sellou, dates, yoghurt, eggs and bread. If you visit during Ramadan, daytime dining is limited but tourist restaurants stay open; I always try to arrange at least one ftour invitation or special iftar table for guests, because eating with Moroccans as the sun sets and the city exhales is unforgettable.