Ramadan: dates, sellou and the flavors of ftour

Dates to break the fast

In Morocco, ftour often begins with dates, alongside milk, a harira or a glass of water. For every day, Large Medjool dates or Tunisian dates on the branch work very well; for guests, Jumbo Medjool dates; for tradition, Ajwa dates; and for those with a sweet tooth, Sukari dates. Allow two to three dates per person per ftour: a household of four thus serves eight to twelve a night, or 240 to 360 over the month.

The sellou and chebakia basket

Sellou is made with toasted flour, almonds, sesame, anise, cinnamon and butter or oil, sweetened with powdered sugar or honey. Here, you'll find Standard almonds or Forna almonds from Meknes, White sesame or Indian sesame, Anise and Ground cinnamon. Chebakia also calls for sesame and anise, and often a pinch of saffron or cinnamon depending on the household. Our guide to sellou ingredients gives common proportions, for a first batch as for a big one.

Harira and the spices of the month

For harira, keep Ground ginger, Ground cinnamon and a few threads of Pure saffron within reach, to dissolve in a little warm water: a few threads are enough for a large pot. Whole cinnamon flavors the milk, syrups and sweet and savory tagines of the month. For the long evenings, Walnut halves, Unsweetened dried apricots and Unsweetened Turkish dried figs complete the tea table, next to the dates.

Ordering during Ramadan

During the month, tell us the time that suits you, before ftour or in the evening: we'll agree on the delivery time together. Send your list on WhatsApp ahead of time, especially for dates in quantity, ingredients for a big batch of sellou or Eid gifts. Payment is on delivery or by bank transfer. For the end of the month, think too of Eid platters, to be prepared a few days before the celebration.

Storing your supplies for the month

Soft dates keep in the refrigerator, in an airtight container: each day, take out the amount for ftour fifteen minutes before serving. Sesame and almonds bought for sellou keep best somewhere cool if they wait a few days; once the sellou is ready, keep it in a tightly closed container, away from heat.

Frequently asked questions