The Beni Guil tribes are distinguished by special habits and traditions during the month of Ramadan, as much concerning the ftour table (breaking of the fast), or the friendly atmosphere marked by the exchange of visits and the organisation of family evenings that continue until the last hours of the night. Alongside the essential chebbakia (Moroccan honey cake), dates, eggs, and fermented milk that adorn all Moroccan tables during this holy month, the traditional dish "Nagouda" is one of the culinary specialities most appreciated by the Beni Guil tribes. It is a mixture of dates, El Kalila (dried milk), and clarified butter. The ftour table in this region is also known for other traditional dishes, notably "Errob", a date jam, "Elmerdoud", a dish in which all species of legumes available on the market are mixed by adding "El kalila". The Beni Guil tribes are distinguished by rich and authentic traditions that are particularly illustrated in an ancestral culinary art and dishes prepared based on local products, stressed the president of the Initiative for the Development of the Rural World Association, Boujemaa Lhejjaji, in a statement to the MAP. The soup (Harira) is seasoned with certain legumes, as well as pieces of El Kalila which give it a particular and delicious taste. As for dinner, it consists either of dishes prepared with broths or couscous with meat, while for the Souhour (last meal before the fast), Seffa is often presented, couscous with the flavour of clarified butter, accompanied by glasses of milk, fermented milk, or tea. Elarbia Bent Kaddour (60 years old), a housewife, points out that before breaking the fast, the Beni Guil tribes recite an invocation "Douaa" that the Holy Prophet used to say: "O God, for You I have fasted, in You I have believed and with Your food I break the fast - the thirst is dissipated, the veins are watered and the reward will remain with the will of Allah". The inhabitants of the region also take care to perform their "Ichaa" prayer and the supererogatory "Tarawih" prayers in the mosques, and to have the Souhour meal shortly before the call to the "Fajr" prayer, following the tradition (Sunnah) of the Prophet Mohammed, peace and blessings be upon Him, she said. "The Beni Guil tribes greatly appreciate this holy month during which we purify our souls," said Aïcha Bent Elhoussin (70 years old), noting that Ramadan is an occasion for the family to gather around a table garnished with dishes specific to the region.
News 22 Jul 2014 3 min read
The "Nagouda", a culinary speciality of the Béni Guil

