In Marrakech this past fall, I took a cooking course offered by an upscale riad hotel. The riad, a traditional Moroccan house with a blue-tiled and palm tree-lined interior courtyard, was in the depths of the souk, and so (because anyone who’s been in the souk will know that the only use your map will be to you here is as a limp and humid sort of fan–that or donkey feed) I winded and twisted and spiraled my way through the market labyrinth’s narrow passages for several hours before finding it. In fact, I never found the first cooking class I looked for–nor the second, and I finally stumbled upon this one by accident and with the generous help of two nearby merchants (one of soap and variously smelling products, the other of brass candlebras).

The medina (old city) of Marrakech offers many cooking classes at various establishments, many hotels and some private schools catering to tourists. My fee (which would have bought nearly a week in my hostel–but probably only a day at the upscale riads) included a morning trip to the market to shop for ingredients, a private cooking lesson in the riad kitchen, and a full meal with Moroccan salads, bread, okra tajine, and pomegranate for dessert. Except for the pomegranate, I made everything myself (including the bread) with the instructions of the cook.

Because the cook, a Moroccan woman in her forties, did not speak French or English, I was accompanied by a translator. Loubna was an English teacher at a high school in Marrakech, only 24 years old, and showed independance, spirit, and convinction in her words. We spent the whole day together and because of her curiosity and openness I learned much about her life and her beliefs. I found that this cooking class was invaluable for the opportunity to speak to these two Moroccan women in a country where women are generally unapproachable for visitors and it can be difficult to hear their voices.

Oh, and the food was excellent. Let’s not forget that.

Here I’ve recopied the three delicious Moroccan salads I made in Marrakech. They are meant to be eaten with bread as a first course or an accompaniment to a meal. Ideally, a tajine would make the meal, but in the U.S. I don’t have the cone-shaped earthenware dish necessary. They say you can make tajine in a regular dutch oven, but this takes all the flair out of it–in any event, I haven’t tried it yet, and I’m not convinced. Moroccan bread is fist sized and pleasantly puffy, as well as being relatively quick to make, but even simpler this time (after several hours already in the kitchen, and as my family was growing impatient) was to hop to the store and buy pita bread. I’ll make the Moroccan bread another time.

The three salads are as follows: Aubergine (Eggplant), Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato, Lentil. They can be eaten hot or cold and are best with toasted, warm Moroccan bread or pita bread.

Aubergine Salad

• 1 large eggplant (1 kg), the skin striped (reserve skin peelings to fry separately if you like) and sliced thickly
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp cilantro
• 1 Tbsp parsley
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• sea salt or kosher salt

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan. When hot, fry the eggplant until golden brown. Work in batches, removing eggplant to paper towels when done.
2. After all the eggplant is removed, fry the garlic in remaining oil until golden brown.
3. Put eggplant and garlic into a bowl. Mash with fork until well mixed, with no large chunks. Add lemon, cumin, and salt, stir.
4. Before serving, mix in fresh cilantro and parsley.

Red Pepper and Tomato Salad

• 2 red bell peppers (½ kg)
• 4 tomatoes (¾ kg)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp parsley
• 1 Tbsp cilantro
• 1 Tbsp ground paprika
• 1 ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp ginger
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• sea salt or kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper

1. Quarter peppers and halve tomatoes, grill or blister both sides under the broiler. Cool, then remove skin and seeds. Work over a bowl to reserve any juice.
2. Chop red pepper into small squares and put into bowl with tomato pulp.
3. Sauté garlic and ginger in 2 Tbsp of oil. Add peppers and tomatoes, reserved juices, spices, and fresh herbs, reserving a bit of cilantro and parsley for garnish. Drizzle in the remaining oil.
4. Cook until slightly reduced and soft. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro and parsley.

Lentil Salad

• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
• 2 cups green lentils (200g)
• sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp ginger
• ¼ tsp chili pepper
• 4 cups water (½ L)
• 1 Tbsp cilantro
• 1 Tbsp parsley

1. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until onion is softened and garlic is golden brown.
2. Add lentils, water (pay attention to cooking instructions on lentils and vary water as needed), and spices.
3. cook 45 minutes until lentils are soft, then add fresh parsley and cilantro (reserve some for the garnish), reduce.
4. Before serving garnish with drizzle of olive oil and a bit of fresh herbs.