Moroccan · Main course
Baddaz (Moroccan Cracked-Corn Couscous)
Baddaz is a humble Marrakchi and Amazigh dish of coarsely cracked dried corn steamed exactly like couscous until tender and fluffy. Earthy and slightly sweet, it is served heaped with a buttery, oniony sauce or simply drowned in fresh buttermilk. It is peasant food in the best sense — cheap, filling and beloved as a taste of the countryside.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 75 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 400 g coarsely cracked dried corn (baddaz)
- 2 onions, sliced
- 60 g butter or smen
- 1 tsp turmeric and 1 tsp ginger
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh buttermilk (lben), to serve
- A little olive oil
Method
- 1
Soak the corn
Rinse the cracked corn and soak it for a few hours, or overnight, so it hydrates and steams evenly.
- 2
Moisten and season
Drain, then work through a little salted water and oil to loosen the grains, as with couscous.
- 3
Steam long
Steam the corn uncovered over boiling water, tipping out and raking with a fork between rounds, until tender. Corn takes longer than semolina — expect three or four steams over about an hour.
- 4
Make the sauce
Meanwhile soften the onions slowly in the butter or smen with the turmeric and ginger until golden and jammy. Season.
- 5
Serve
Fork the buttery onions through the hot corn, or heap it plain and pour over cold buttermilk. Serve warm.
Chef's tips
- Soak the corn well ahead — dried cracked corn needs hydration and long steaming to turn tender.
- It is done when the grains are soft with a gentle chew; taste as you steam.
- Buttermilk is the classic, cooling counterpoint to the earthy, faintly sweet corn.
Frequently asked questions
What is baddaz made from?
Coarsely cracked dried corn (maize), steamed like couscous. It is a traditional, economical dish of the Marrakech region and the Amazigh countryside.
How is baddaz eaten?
Two classic ways: heaped with a buttery caramelised-onion sauce, or served plain and doused in cold fresh buttermilk (lben). Both are rustic comfort food.