Unleash Tagine's Magic: A Guide To Traditional Moroccan Cooking

The tagine is a Moroccan dish, though it is common throughout North Africa, that uses dried fruits, vegetables, preserved foods, and meat, in combination with aromatic spices. The word tagine refers to both the conical-shaped dish and the food cooked inside it. The dish is usually a blend of sweet and savoury flavours. The tagine is traditionally cooked slowly over a smouldering charcoal fire, but at home, it can be cooked in the oven or on the stovetop.

How to prepare your ingredients

Preparing your ingredients for a tagine is a simple process, but it does require some care and attention. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Slicing and Arranging the Base Layer

The first step is to create a base layer of sliced onions across the bottom of the tagine. This will prevent your meat from sticking and burning. You can also scatter chopped onions, or use celery or carrots to create a bed for more delicate ingredients, such as fish. For a Berber-style tagine, you can arrange your vegetables in a conical fashion, standing them upright for a beautiful presentation.

Adding Aromatics

Next, add your garlic. You can press, chop or leave the cloves whole. If you add the garlic with the base ingredients, it will fully cook and meld with the sauce. You can also add spices at this stage. Mix your chosen spices in a bowl and distribute some of the mixture over the base layer. You can use up to two-thirds of your spice blend at this point, concentrating on the onions so that the spices meld with the oil and liquids to create a rich sauce.

Preparing the Meat

Arrange your meat, poultry or fish in the centre of the tagine. If using meat on the bone, place the pieces bone-side-down to reduce the risk of scorching. You can brown the meat first in a separate skillet, but this is not necessary. If you do choose to brown the meat, be sure to use a separate pan as your tagine should not be used over high heat.

Adding Oil and Liquid

Add the full amount of oil called for in your recipe. This is important for creating a rich sauce. Most tagine recipes specify between 1/4 and 1/3 of a cup of oil. You can use a mix of olive oil and vegetable oil. Now, carefully add water, stock or broth to the tagine. Be careful not to wash away any spices. Do not add hot liquid to a cold tagine, or vice versa, as this can cause the tagine to crack.

Final Steps

Check that your tagine is at room temperature before placing it on the heat source. If you have an electric stove or flat cooktop, use a diffuser to ensure the tagine does not come into direct contact with the heat. Place the tagine over low to medium-low heat and be patient as it slowly reaches a simmer.

Now you are ready to begin cooking your tagine!

The best cooking methods for a tagine

The tagine is a Moroccan dish, though it is common throughout North Africa. It is revered for its balance of sweet and savoury flavours. The word "tagine" refers to both the conical-shaped dish and the food cooked inside it.

Preparation

Before cooking, bring the tagine to room temperature. If you place a cold tagine on a hot surface, it may crack. Both ceramic and unglazed clay tagines should be seasoned before first use. Tagines should not come into direct contact with the heat source. If you have an electric stove or flat cooktop, use a diffuser.

Ingredients

Tagine recipes usually feature a blend of sweet and spicy flavours and commonly include meat, poultry, or fish, layered with aromatics, vegetables, spices, oil, and water.

Cooking

Tagines are typically cooked slowly in the oven or on the stovetop. The conical lid allows steam to circulate during cooking, creating condensation that drips back onto the ingredients, keeping them moist.

Steps to follow:

• Lightly cook the onion and spices.
• Add the meat and pour over the liquid, then cover with the lid.
• Place in the oven or leave it to cook on the stovetop.
• Check the liquid level after about two hours. If the liquid has reduced to a sauce-like consistency, add more water.
• Remove from heat and let it cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

How to layer your ingredients

When layering your ingredients in a tagine, it's important to remember that the order in which you add your ingredients is flexible, as the unique cone-shaped lid keeps all the ingredients moist and everything cooks together. However, there are some general guidelines to follow for optimal results:

First, prepare your tagine by bringing it to room temperature before cooking. This is crucial, as placing a cold tagine directly on a hot surface can cause it to crack. Season the tagine if necessary, especially if it is made of clay or ceramic.

For the base layer, sliced onions are typically placed across the bottom of the tagine. This creates a bed for the remaining ingredients and prevents meat from sticking and burning. You can also add chopped onions, celery, or crisscrossed carrots to this layer, depending on your preference and the recipe you are following.

Next, add garlic to the mix. You can use a garlic press, chop the garlic, or leave the cloves whole. Adding garlic at this stage ensures it will be fully incorporated into the dish.

Now it's time to add oil, which is essential for a rich sauce. Most tagine recipes call for 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oil, and you can use a mix of olive oil and vegetable oil.

Arrange your meat, poultry, or fish in the centre of the tagine. If using meat on the bone, place the pieces bone-side-down to reduce the risk of scorching. Create a mound with the meat to allow for plenty of vegetables around the perimeter.

At this point, you can also brown the meat if your recipe calls for it. However, this step is not necessary and is usually done in a separate skillet to avoid using high heat directly on the tagine.

Mix your spices, including salt, pepper, ginger, paprika, cumin, turmeric, saffron, and cayenne pepper, in a small bowl. You can also mix the spices with the vegetables and meat to coat them evenly before adding them to the tagine. Alternatively, sprinkle the spices directly into the tagine one at a time.

Distribute some of the spice mixture over the meat and onions, using up to 2/3 of the mixture. This will create a rich, flavorful sauce as the spices meld with the oil and liquids.

Now, arrange your vegetables and season them with the remaining spice mixture. You can layer the vegetables around the meat or create a conical arrangement in the Berber style. Try to get them to stand upright for a beautiful presentation.

Add colour and flavour by including bell peppers, preserved lemons, olives, and an herb bouquet of parsley and cilantro. A jalapeño or chilli pepper is optional for some extra heat.

Finally, add water, stock, or broth to the tagine carefully near the side to avoid washing away the spices. Be sure not to add a hot liquid to a cold tagine or vice versa, as this can cause thermal shock and crack your tagine. The amount of liquid will depend on the type of meat and cooking time, so adjust accordingly.

The best spices to use

Tagine recipes traditionally use a mix of spices to create a rich sauce. The exact spices used vary depending on the recipe and the cook, but common spices include ginger, cinnamon, clove, cumin, paprika, coriander, saffron, cayenne pepper, and turmeric.

Some recipes use a North African spice mix called ras el hanout, which contains black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin, mace, paprika, and turmeric, among other spices. Each ras el hanout mix is unique and can contain up to 30 different spices.

Combining your spices before adding them to the tagine allows for a more even distribution of seasoning. You can mix the spices in a bowl and toss the vegetables and meat in the mixture before adding them to the tagine, or sprinkle the spices directly into the tagine one at a time.

Tagines also often include dried fruit to add a touch of sweetness. Common choices include apricots, prunes, raisins, and dates.

How to serve your tagine

Tagines are great serving dishes. Just remember to protect your table as the base will be hot. It is best to allow the tagine to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Traditionally, Moroccans gather around and eat communally from the tagine, using pieces of Moroccan bread to scoop up the sauce, vegetables, and meat. The dish is usually served with flatbread for dipping in the complex and fragrant sauce. You can also serve your tagine with couscous, either on the side or spread on a shallow platter with the tagine poured on top. Polenta is another good, though unorthodox, option.

If you don't have a tagine, you can use a deep frying pan with a lid or a flameproof casserole dish.

Frequently asked questions