_{Photo © Christine Benlafquih}

The thought of frying fish used to intimidate me, and for years I gratefully allowed my mother-in-law to prepare delicious fried fish feasts for us at her home. It wasn't until she actually helped me put together an equally impressive spread of food in my own kitchen that I learned how easy frying fish actually is.

Many Moroccan women work over a single liquid propane gas flame to prepare not only the fish, but the numerous side dishes that often accompany fish. Check out Moroccan Fried Fish Dinner for a list of recipes which might be presented at a normal fried fish meal. Don't be afraid to include the fried veggie sides of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and patate frit when you plan an authentic Moroccan fried fish dinner for your family. A little indulgence is OK once in awhile!

_{Photo © Christine Benlafquih}

If you're wondering what feggous is, you're not alone. I'd never encountered it outside of Moroccan cuisine. This exotic-looking vegetable is available in Morocco during summer months. Although its appearance is a bit like a long, skinny zucchini, it tastes like a cucumber and is technically a melon. Amazing!

Outside of Morocco, you might find feggous sold as Aremenian cucumber, snake cucumber, snake melon, yard-long cucumber, fakkous or uri. It's crunchy, mild and doesn't need to be seeded or peeled. Although they can grow quite long, the smaller ones – under 15 inches – are usually best.

_{Photo © Christine Benlafquih}

Moroccans eat feggous sliced, add it to chopped salads, or give it center stage in Feggous Salad with Orange Flower Water. I like Feggous Salad so much that I've made it three times in the last week alone. It's particularly refreshing on a hot summer day, and makes a perfect starter or follow-up to a main meal.

_{Photo © Christine Benlafquih}

Tagine Makfoul is a classic Moroccan dish featuring savory stewed meat topped with caramelized onions and tomatoes. Sweet and spicy, I made it for a family meal the other day when I wanted something fairly quick and easy to make. Using a pressure cooker sped up the process, but you can also make the Tagine Makfoul Recipe in a conventional pot or traditional tagine.

Moroccan Wheat Bread and Semolina Bread are both especially good with sweet and spicy tagines. Oranges with Cinnamon and Orange Flower Water makes a light and refreshing dessert.

_{Photo © Christine Benlafquih}

I first had these crunchy anise and sesame cookies when we bought them from a street vendor in Casablanca. The kids and I polished off a sizable quantity in one sitting – proving that although not-too-sweet, they're quite tasty!

Later I learned that the cookies are called Kaak d'Essaouira, named after the coastal city of Essaouira. The egg-free and vegan dough is easy to make, then portions of it are rolled into ropes and folded into a wreath-shape. How to Make Kaak d'Essaouira shows how.

If you're not a perfectionist, get the young bakers in your house to help out.