Spice, Soul & Stories from the Mediterranean
A Moroccan Affair at Novotel Hyderabad Airport: Taste of Morocco
Novotel Hyderabad Airport is hosting a Moroccan-themed culinary festival every Saturday in June, offering guests a vibrant taste of Moroccan cuisine.
- Executive Chef Amanna Raju emphasizes the festival's authenticity, showcasing traditional dishes like tagine and shawarma.
- The buffet features a range of Moroccan classics, focusing on health-conscious options such as hummus, which is a complete protein.
- This festival is part of a series of international food events, with future themes including Awadhi and Tengra-style Chinese cuisine.
Every month, Novotel Hyderabad Airport whisks its guests away on a culinary journey. This June, it was Morocco’s turn to shine. “We do a special international theme every Saturday, and this time, we wanted something vibrant, something that reflects a melting pot of cultures,” says Amanna Raju, Executive Chef, as he walks us through the thought behind the Moroccan-themed food festival.
Chef Amanna Raju
"The decision to spotlight Morocco was not random. We had a Lebanese food festival last year, and it was a big hit. This year, we decided to do something on the similar lines, hence Taste of Morocco came in the picture and it felt like the perfect choice. It’s at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe—its food is reflective of the entire region,” he explains.
Moroccan cuisine, with its heady mix of spices like cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and peppers, beautifully aligns with the Indian palate. “You see, with French or Austrian cuisine, the flavours are often alien to our culture. But with Moroccan food—thanks to our diaspora in the Middle East—people are already familiar with dishes like shawarma, hummus, baklava, and basbousa,” he adds.
The buffet featured a thoughtful curation of Moroccan classics. “Tagine is one of the most popular dishes,” says Chef Raju. “It’s named after the clay pot it’s cooked in. There’s a special technique—water in the lid turns to steam as the heat rises, and once the steam is gone, your dish is ready.” Alongside tagines, the festival also offered pita pockets, lamb dishes, and couscous—“similar to our semolina, and a must-try.”
The chef ensured that authenticity remained front and center. “We haven’t Indianised anything. We haven’t spiced it up or added unnecessary gravies. Even our shawarma is done the traditional way—served in pita, not with mayonnaise but with original hummus.”
The desserts too stayed true to tradition—less sugar, more nuts, honey, and dates. “They are simple and light. Nothing over-the-top. That’s how Moroccan desserts are meant to be,” he says.
The festival also stood out for its health-conscious approach. “Hummus, for example, is a complete protein. It’s got chickpeas, sesame paste, and olive oil. If you are a gym freak and vegetarian, this is your perfect protein dish,” laughs the chef.
This isn’t just a one-off culinary celebration. The property hosts regular thematic dinners that celebrate both Indian and global cuisines. “We have done Mexican, Okinawan, and now Moroccan. Next, we are doing Awadhi with a chef from Lucknow, and a Tengra-style Chinese pop-up with a chef from Kolkata,” Raju reveals.
“Whatever we do, we ensure it’s original. If it’s meant to be bland, it stays bland. If it’s bold and spicy, we let the dish speak for itself,” he signs off, leaving us with a plate of warm pita and silky hummus—an invitation to taste travel, right from Hyderabad. The food pop up—Taste of Morocco—is on at Novotel Hyderabad Airport (NHA) every Saturday all through June.
