I love anything Moroccan. First I fell in love with my love, then he took me on vacation to Rabat, Morocco and I fell in love with everything there. It is so amazing and I could just spend all my time there, discovering new places, new foods and beverages and new language. It is such a magical place because the old parts of town make you feel like you are in a movie and the newer, more modern parts give such a great contrast to it that it makes it magical. I love walking through the medina/souk which is the market areas of the town. In the medina, you find so many interesting thing. You can buy everything from kitchen supplies, clothing to electronics. My favorite parts of it, are the small restaurants and any place selling plates and kitchen gadgets. While wondering through the streets, you smell all the great smells of Moroccan cooking, and a staple there is the tagine (also spelt tajine). There are so many varieties and different combinations you can make. I will show you a great one with beef. I usually make with chicken as it cooks faster, but if you are patient you will have a great dish at the end.
The tagine is a clay pot. “It consists of two parts: a base unit that is flat and circular with low sides and a large cone- or dome-shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The cover is designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. Tajines can also be cooked in a conventional oven or on a stove top.” Thanks wikipedia for that explanation.
Note: You can use a regular pot if you don’t have a tagine.
Ingredients:
500 g beef
2-3 garlic cloves
1 large onion
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Olive oil
Parsley
2-3 potatoes
3 carrots
Handfull of cherry tomatoes
Handfull of peas
Start by adding oil to you pot and add the meat. Brown the meat.
Add the spices and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the onions. Cover the meat at least half way with water and cover the pot. Let cook for half an hour, then add the potatoes and tomatoes. Add parsley. Add water if needed. We always want the meat to be covered half way.
Add carrots after another 30 minutes have past.
Cook until the meat is tender. 5 minutes before serving add the peas. If it is very watery, remove the meat and increase the heat. This should reduce the sauce.
Serve with bread, which is a standard in Morocco, and enjoy the flavors of Morocco.
