The Architecture of a Moroccan Kitchen: The Majmar and the Borma

If you look into a modern Moroccan kitchen in Casablanca or Tangier, you will see state-of-the-art gas ranges and electric ovens. But in the corner, usually tucked away on a balcony or a patio, you will almost always find the ancient, low-tech tools that are still required for authentic cooking: the Majmar and the Borma.

The Majmar: The Portable Hearth

The Majmar is a heavy, unglazed terracotta brazier. It is filled with natural wood charcoal and fanned until the coals are glowing white-hot.

This is the only acceptable heat source for a traditional clay Tajine. Gas flames are too harsh and focused, causing the clay to crack and the food to burn in the center. The Majmar provides a wide, incredibly even, low-temperature radiant heat. It is what allows tough cuts of beef to simmer for four hours outside on a breezy balcony until they melt off the bone.

The Borma and the Keskas: The Engine of Couscous

You cannot cook couscous in a standard saucepan. It requires a highly specialized, two-part steamer called a Couscoussier.

The bottom pot is the Borma. It is tall, wide-bellied, and made of heavy aluminum or stainless steel. This is where the meat, vegetables, and intensely spiced broth are boiled.

Sitting tightly on top of the Borma is the Keskas, a steamer basket with large holes in the bottom. The raw semolina is placed in the Keskas. The steam rising from the boiling meat broth in the Borma is what cooks the couscous above it.

To ensure no steam escapes from the seam between the two pots, Moroccan women traditionally seal the gap using a strip of cloth dipped in flour and water, known as the Qaffal. It is a brilliant, centuries-old feat of culinary engineering.