
Morocco
Smen (Preserved Butter)
سمن
Moroccan butter clarified and aged with salt and aromatics until it develops a strong savoury perfume.
northern-africa
Explore 43 foods connected to Western Sahara, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.

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The local shortlist
7 editor-selected foods for understanding the place through what people eat.
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The full directory
43 foods in this view. Filter by category, type, rarity, or search every recorded name.

Morocco
سمن
Moroccan butter clarified and aged with salt and aromatics until it develops a strong savoury perfume.

Western Sahara
طاجين
Slow-cooked Moroccan food prepared in a shallow earthenware dish with a conical lid, from vegetables to meat.

Western Sahara
Tbikha is a minimalist Sahrawi meat preparation: camel or lamb is cooked in a covered bowl with salt and olive oil so the meat’s own flavour remains clear.

Mauritania
Sun-dried meat strips, traditionally from addax antelope but now from camel or beef; salted and dried in the desert sun for preservation; rehydrated and cooked into stews or grilled; a nomadic preservation method that concentrates the meat's flavour.

Western Sahara
Cooked and sun-dried camel meat prepared as a paste mixed with water and fat; made from tichtar (dried meat) cooked on a small fire; considered an excellent dish for guests and traveler's food; the paste form makes it portable and long-lasting.

Western Sahara
Azzammit
Zammit is a Sahrawi barley-flour preparation mixed with oil, sugar, and water into a dense paste or ball; the named form is especially documented in displaced Sahrawi communities.

Mauritania
Fermented milk beverage made from soured camel, goat, or cow milk mixed with sugar and water; regional variations include millet (Senguetti from Hodh Ech Chargui), chili pepper (Oualata), and orange soda (modern); a refreshing, tangy drink of nomadic origin.