How to Prepare a Moroccan Tagine

Food in Morocco plays a vital role in ancient life. From weddings to baptisms to circumcisions, it's the premise of social gatherings and celebrations. From couscous to tagines and pastilles, the fragile flavors square measure a mix of tastes of the many civilizations. Arab, Berber, geographical region, French and Jewish square measure just a few of the influences on what's these days recognized as Moroccan culinary art.



Over the centuries, the chefs of the royal kitchens refined the culinary art to make native appetizing dishes to titillate our style buds. Apricots, dates, figs and raisins native foods whereas almonds, pine batty and pistachios square measure used exte3nsively. Spices like cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ginger, saffron Associate in Nursingd mint lend an exotic flavor. And mint tea is that the favored drink, with freshly squeezed juices a detailed second.

A truly ancient Moroccan dish could be a tagine, a stew of vegetables with poultry or beef and edible fruit. The fruit is supplementary towards the tip to present Associate in Nursing overall sweetness to the dish.. The vegetables square measure set round the meat, that is placed within the center of the pot in conjunction with the fruit. The tagine is then coated and poached slowly over a charcoal stove (called kanoun). Tagines additionally contain salt-cured or preserved lemons, giving them a singular flavor that cannot be replicated exploitation recent lemons. historically, the tagine is served with couscous, rice or bread. once consumption, begin on the skin with the vegetables, operating your thanks to the meat at the guts of the dish. Here could be a formula to urge you started on a standard tagine:



Chicken Tagine with Prunes and Almonds

1 chicken, chop up into half-dozen items

170 g (6 oz) dried prunes, shredded fine

60 g (2 oz) whole, blanched almonds

1 cabbage butterfly onion, finely shredded two cloves of garlic, crushed

½ teaspoon spice

1 teaspoon fine cinnamon

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to style



The day before, prepare the chicken marinade. Wash the chicken in salt-cured water and drain. combine crushed garlic with one tbsp salt to create a paste. Rub into the chicken so rinse below running water till the chicken now not smells of garlic. Drain and put aside. Rub the chicken items with salt, cumin, and pepper and let represent one hour.



Cover the prunes with cold water, add the cinnamon and produce to the boil. cowl and simmer for half-hour or longer - till the prunes square measure tender.



Place the chicken items in an exceedingly 5-quart deep casserole over medium heat and add the shredded onion, turmeric, ginger, salt, pepper and almonds. once the almonds square measure brown, take away with a perforated spoon and

drain on room paper. once the chicken is tanned, cowl with water with great care the chicken items square measure coated and produce to the boil. cut back heat and simmer, covered, for half-hour.



After half-hour, add the prunes and a few of the prune water to the casserole and continue preparation till the chicken and prunes square measure terribly tender.