During my stay in the South of France, I had a chance to taste a delicious Moroccan specialty. The dish is called Tagine, which is one of the staple foods in Morocco. "We could eat it everyday," said Mariam, the Moroccan lady who made the Tagine. It's very easy to make, it's healthy, and the ingredients are relatively cheap.
The Tagine (or Tajine) is traditionally cooked in a clay pot with a heavy cone cover. The weight of the cover keeps the steam sealed inside. That way the Tagine can slowly simmer in its own juices. Mmmm.. doesn't that sound yummy? Here is the recipe for the beef and vegetable Tagine (courtesy of my Moroccan friend).
You'll need:
500g of beef
1 onion chopped
1 clove of garlic minced
1 tomato
a handful of parsley
a tsp. of ginger
some olives
vegetables: carrots, turnips, green beans, green peas
spices: salt & pepper, cinnamon, paprika, coriander, cumin
olive oil
a large chili (if you like it spicy hot)
If you don't have a clay pot, you can use a slow cooker or a ceramic pot... or any pot really, as long as it has a thick base.
In a very low heat (use the lowest setting on your stove), put the olive oil, the beef, the spices, onions, some salt and pepper in the pot. Let it cook for 1 hour. Then, add the vegetables and the rest of the ingredients. Make sure that you arrange the vegetables in layers. It adds charm to the Tagine, and it makes it look more palatable. Actually, you're supposed to hide the
beef inside the layers of vegetables... the beef is kinda like a surprise. Finally, let the Tagine simmer for another good hour, or until the juices are reduced. And that's it, you're done!
Tagine is traditionally eaten with bread, and the Moroccans devour this dish using their hands. There are no plates nor utensils, everyone sits around the table and shares the Tagine.
So try this at home folks, I'm sure you'll enjoy the dish and the experience. Bon appétit!
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