I
am at Riad Hamdani, a bed and breakfast lodging place, Moroccan style, very
comfortable and inspiring near the Mohammed V International Airport in
Casablanca.
In
the morning, facing the garden and the swimming pool I sat down for my breakfast,
which I had been looking forward to, I would like a Maghrebi breakfast please! Soon
enough ingredients began arriving one by one, apricot marmalade, peanut sauce,
citrus marmalade, cheese, yogurt, watermelon, thick crusted Moroccan bread, a
tasty omelette but the centre piece was indeed: MSEMEN, a flaky pastry like
pancake with layers separated, filled with butter and crispy and very tasty.
It
is difficult to make this, the owner, who with her Moroccan husband owns and
runs this place, said to me. She is of Belgian origin from a place closer to
the German border. It takes very long time, and it has to be spun and suddenly
it occurred to me, she is describing something I commonly see in the streets of
Cochin, Kerala, India and also in my favourite eating-places in Indian parts of
Kuala Lumpur.
Mesamen or musamen (Arabic: مسمن), also called malawi, malawah or murtabak, is a
rich traditional, pancake-like bread of the Maghreb, most
common to Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. These pancake-like breads are usually
an accompaniment to a cup of aromatic morning mint tea or coffee. Msemen can be
stuffed with vegetables or meat fillings.
Yes, the humble Paratta or parotha of Kerala is a cousin to
this bread, which can be eaten at breakfast or as a snack or filled with meat
or potatoes.
I especially felt good about the MSEMEN today, thinking of
the young Muslim spinning his murtabak like a dervish in the café that I visit
now and then in Fort Cochin, Kerala.
Also the Maulana Indian Resto in Seri Kembangan, where my
best friend in asia lives, a good place for Parotta or Murtabak and some curry.
I have had Parottas in
Malaysia
Singapore
Kerala India
Seria, Brunei, also Kuala Belait
Doha Qatar
Its cousin in Casablanca
And look forward to learn more about its migration from the
Middle East to India as well as Maghreb.
To Kerala, I am sure it came from Saudi to Yemen to Cochin!
