Tagine

Tagine refers both to a North African stew and to the distinctive conical earthenware pot in which it is cooked. The cone traps rising steam and returns it to the dish, gently braising the ingredients in their own juices over a low flame.

Classic versions pair meat or poultry with dried fruit such as apricots or prunes, olives, preserved lemon and almonds, seasoned with saffron, ginger and the spice blend ras el hanout. The result is tender, glossy and balanced between sweet and savoury, served with bread or couscous.

The tagine pot and its style of slow cooking have Berber (Amazigh) roots across North Africa, developed as an efficient way to tenderise tougher cuts using little fuel and water.

In Morocco the tagine is central to hospitality and everyday family meals alike, shared from the communal pot and eaten with bread. Regional variations abound, from the sweet lamb-and-prune tagines of the imperial cities to fish tagines along the coast.