Moroccan · Salad
Khizou Mchermel (Cooked Spiced Carrot Salad)
Khizou mchermel is the warm, garlicky cooked-carrot salad that anchors a Moroccan mezze table — carrots simmered until tender then dressed hot in a chermoula of garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander and lemon so they drink up the spice. Served warm or cold, it is sweet, tangy and deeply savoury all at once.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 5
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 600 g carrots, cut into thick rounds
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp sweet paprika, pinch chilli
- 1 large bunch coriander, finely chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, and a few olives to garnish
Method
- 1
Cook the carrots
Boil or steam the carrots until just tender but not mushy, about 12–15 minutes, then drain well.
- 2
Make the chermoula
Warm the olive oil gently, add the garlic, cumin, paprika and chilli and cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- 3
Dress hot
Add the warm carrots to the pan, pour over the lemon juice and toss so the carrots soak up the dressing. Cook 3–4 minutes.
- 4
Finish and rest
Stir in most of the coriander, season with salt, and leave to cool a little so the flavours settle. Garnish with olives and the last herbs.
Chef's tips
- Dress the carrots while hot — they absorb the chermoula far better than when cold.
- Do not overcook; the carrots should hold their shape and a little bite.
- A pinch of sugar or a mashed date rounds it out if the carrots are not sweet.
Frequently asked questions
What does mchermel mean?
Mchermel means dressed in chermoula — the garlic, cumin, paprika, coriander and lemon marinade used across Moroccan cooked salads and fish.
Warm or cold?
Both are correct. It is served warm as part of a hot meal or chilled as one of the many small salads that open a Moroccan feast.