Moroccan Tagine
From a recipe by Mariela Nordel. Morocco is a strange place — you can feel the French breeze, the Spanish presence, and at the same time it is a traditional Arab country. Be careful, Moroccan women are very cunning, and once they set their sights on a man nothing can stop them! That is probably why their cuisine is so seductive, and legends are told about the Moroccan tagine. Here is how to prepare this magical dish at home and outdo every brazen Moroccan woman.
Ingredients
| 2-3 с.л. | olive oil |
| 2 | skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces (may substitute veal or lamb) |
| половин глава | onion, finely chopped |
| 3-4 | garlic cloves, pressed |
| 1 | small butternut squash, peeled and cubed |
| 1 ч.ч. | cooked chickpeas (canned is fine) |
| 1 | large carrot, finely cubed |
| 1 | can finely chopped tomatoes with their juice |
| половин литър | chicken or vegetable stock |
| 1 ч.л. | salt |
| 1 с.л. | lemon juice |
| 1 ч.л. | ground coriander |
| 1 ч.л. | ground hot red pepper (optional) |
| 1 к.ч. | raisins and/or finely chopped dried plums |
Instructions
- In the olive oil, first sauté the onion and the squash pieces; once they take colour, add the chicken and the garlic and stir well so nothing burns.
- When the ingredients have caught a golden crust, add the remaining ingredients of the dish, stir everything, and the moment the liquid comes to a boil, remove from the heat and pour the food into a special "tagine" vessel — a ceramic dish with a conical lid that has a hole on top. If you do not have one, simply use a traditional clay pot (gyuvech).
- Bake for about an hour in a moderate oven, or until all the ingredients have softened.
- Serve in the dish, accompanied by couscous. Keep in mind that in Morocco the couscous, once cooked, is rubbed by hand so the grains stay fluffy and do not stick together. You can season it with a little olive oil and mix in finely chopped parsley and small cubes of white cheese. And if you eat it with your hands rather than with cutlery, you will be exactly like the Moroccans.