Zaaffran rewrites the story of spice
At twelve years of age, with his family facing a severe drought, Hassan El Kour, the sixth child out of a family of eleven, made a decision to leave his family’s farm and seek employment in the city of Casablanca over three hundred kilometres away.
One of his first jobs was selling spices. Home cooks would come to him searching for flavour combinations and he would prepare spice mixes for them. Based on the knowledge he had gained, recipes passed down from generation to generation by grandmothers, mothers and sisters, which he had witnessed in his own kitchen with his family when he was with them, he prepared these combinations, learning never to compromise on quality.
From his upbringing he had gained an understanding of the importance of spice ingredients. When his siblings had grown sick, his mother, who was of nomadic descent, would venture out into the land and forage for roots and herbs to use in their treatments.
Meanwhile, he would keep in touch with his parents, exchanging letters and money with messengers who came through the area.
Later, when he secured work as a carpenter, with the rich food culture in Morocco combining work with dinner, he would help with the lamb tagine that would sizzle in the background as the carpenters completed their work.
All of these experiences, some rich, some unimaginable, helped to shape Zaaffran – A Taste of Morocco. After finding love and moving to New Zealand, he set up a food truck, first in Christchurch, until the business was interrupted by the Christchurch earthquakes, and then later in Wellington, where the launch of the truck tied in with the growing popularity of the Wellington Night Markets.
He is now a regular fixture at Pop-Up Eats Horowhenua, outside Te Takeretanga o Kurahau-pō each Wednesday night, as well as at Ōtaki Yard each Friday night next to Caravan & Co Ōtaki.
Visit Zaaffran – A Taste of Morocco at Pop-Up Eats Horowhenua, or place an order online to pick up from your chosen location through their website at www.zaaffran.co.nz