What is maakouda, the Moroccan potato fritter?

Maakouda is Moroccan street-food comfort at its most satisfying. At its simplest it is mashed potato, seasoned generously with garlic, cumin, paprika, fresh parsley and coriander, sometimes brightened with a little preserved lemon, shaped into flat patties, dipped in beaten egg or a light batter, and deep-fried until deeply golden. The result is a crisp, craggy shell giving way to a soft, fluffy, well-spiced interior.

The pleasure is all in the contrast: that shatteringly crunchy crust against the pillowy potato inside, with cumin and garlic warming every bite. They are usually sold hot and fresh from bubbling oil, and the smell alone draws you across a square. Eaten on their own with a dab of harissa or cumin salt, they are dangerously moreish — I find it hard to stop at one.

You will most often meet maakouda as street food in the medinas, sold from carts and tiny fry shops, where they are frequently stuffed into a crusty bread roll with a smear of harissa to make a cheap, filling sandwich — proper Moroccan fast food. They also appear as a side dish or part of a starter spread, and they are a favourite quick snack for hungry shoppers and workers.

For the best maakouda, follow your nose to a busy fry stall in a city medina — Casablanca, Fes, and Marrakech all do them well — and eat them piping hot, ideally tucked into bread with harissa. On food walks I always make a stop for them because they are inexpensive, vegetarian-friendly, and a perfect example of how good Morocco’s humble street snacks can be.