Zaza baladi

Zaza baladi is a snack made by yoghurt and all sorts of stuff. Wheat puffs are a standard, so is avocado, fruit and dates. Oatmeal and nuts is also common.

Zaza baladi is considered a snack for active people, for example persons that go to the gym. I can partly understand why, as it is filling and contains carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats. But the yoghurt is sweetened, and some places top the dish with chocolate sauce. Sugar isn’t particularly healthy in my opinion.

If you want a healthier zaza baladi, it’s easy. When I bought zaza baladi, I brought unsweetened yoghurt with me from a nearby shop. A small pot of yoghurt costs just 2.5 dirhams.

I’m writing zaza, but when you come to Morocco you’ll notice it’s written as za3za3. The number three represents the Arabic letter ayn, which doesn’t exist in European languages.

The Arabic word za3za3 means ‘shaking’. Interestingly, it can also be used to describe someone who is a bit mad. The word baladi can be translated as locally produced, organic or natural.

You will find a place with zaza baladi when you visit the Rif. But something that’s much more common is zaza, which is available at most places that serve freshly squeezed juice. Zaza (without the baladi suffix) is an avocado smoothie with fruit, dates and sometimes chocolate. Both zaza and zaza baladi are filling.