“The Mrouzia takes longer to prepare, because black raisins are missing” (maa maatetla la-mrouzia gir al zbib le-kahal), is a phrase Moroccan Jews use to describe a person who provides vague excuses.
It is no secret why Mrouzia is at the heart of this phrase. This rich and spicy dish, with intense flavors, is one of the highlights of the Moroccan cuisine. The original Mrouzia is a dish of meat (usually lamb) and animal fat, with tons of raisins and other dried fruit, a variety of nuts and local spices, such as Ras el Hanut, saffron and cinnamon. It is traditionally prepared in a slow-cooking tajine and served during Eid al-Adha, Feast of the Sacrifice.
Moroccan Jews have their own version. They dropped the meat and most of the spices and focused on nuts and raisins, to arrive at what they call Mrouzia today – a rich and extremely thick jam, traditionally served at the table in Mimouna or on Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) by itself, as a filling for a cigar or on a bed of couscous.