Moroccan Tajin Recipe – Moroccan Food
For those of us who have delved into Moroccan gastronomy, sooner rather than later we come across the tajine. We are talking about one of the most famous dishes of Morocco, that curvilinear-shaped vessel whose walls of ochre silt harbor a thousand and one surprises for the palate. Here we will tell you all about the tajine, from its origins to how to prepare your own homemade version. Morocco Tours 5 days
What is Moroccan tajine
Tajine, tajin or tagin is a traditional Amazigh (Berber) dish and, true to its language, it is pronounced with an accented sh: tashin. Strictly speaking, the cone-shaped clay pot in which the ingredients are cooked is called tajine. It is this container that gives the dish its name. Its peculiar shape, with a large diameter and a shallow bottom, keeps the heat and steam in such a way that the food is cooked without drying out. Casablanca Desert tours
History of Tajin as a Moroccan food
Its name comes from the ancient Greek teganon (“frying pan”), a word that was later adapted by nomadic Berber tribes (imazighen) as tajin (translated as “shallow clay pot”). These tribes have occupied North Africa for thousands of years and this fact alone indicates a great deal about the antiquity of the dish. The earliest written records of tajin are from the 8th century, under the reign of Caliph Harun al-Rashid of the Islamic empire of the Abbasid dynasty.
Massive immigrations to Morocco from various cultures over the centuries have influenced the transformation of tajine. The Berbers gave us the basic dish; the Arab conquest added spices and dried fruits brought from the Middle East and Asia; the Moors introduced olives and citrus fruits; the Sephardic Jews created their own versions; and the conquest of America added tomatoes.
Ginger, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, salt, cinnamon, spice, dates, olives, plums, lemon, dried apricots, figs, almonds, walnuts, tomatoes, eggs, are just some of the many ingredients that were added over time.
In Morocco there are many stores selling spices and dried or dehydrated fruits, where you can find everything.
Types of tajine
The tajine can be basically whatever you like. The common ones are chicken tajine, vegetable tajine, Moroccan lamb or beef tajine, egg tajine and kefta tajine. The latter is misunderstood by Westerners as meatball tajine because of its similar appearance. In reality kefta (or kofta) is a flat ball of minced beef or lamb very typical of Middle Eastern cuisine. Another typical option is the so-called Berber tajine (although in reality they are all Berber), which has egg and tomato as its main ingredients. Morocco Tours 8 days
Each tajine can have different versions. For example, chicken tajine is usually with lemon. On the other hand, lamb tajine can be sweet and sour and include quince or prunes. Lamb with prunes can also be sweetened with almonds, honey, cinnamon and other spices and is eaten as a dessert. Moroccans call this dish mrouzia.
In the coastal towns of the country, fish tajine is more common, especially tuna or sardines. Do not expect to find pork. Let’s remember that in Morocco 98% of the population is Muslim and for Islam pork is haram, a forbidden food. However, if you are curious about how it would look like, below we show you how to make your own tajine at home.
Morocco is a big country and each region has its own tajine combinations. It is difficult to say which one is more typical, but we dare to suggest that the most traditional ones are lamb with dates, raisins or prunes and almonds; chicken with lemon and olives; chicken with dried apricots and kefta; and egg and tomato tajine. Lamb tajine is especially consumed during Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice), a Muslim celebration in which lambs are sacrificed to commemorate the passage in the Koran in which Abraham (Ibrahim) is willing to sacrifice his son Ishmael in obedience to the Supreme.
The tajine as a vessel
The original tajin consists of two pieces: a shallow terracotta bowl and a perforated conical lid. The material used is glazed earthenware, but there are models with modern materials that can be used in the microwave and cleaned in the dishwasher. In the absence of embers, the glazed model tajín is resistant and can be put in the oven. Terracotta pottery can be completely smooth or decorated on its cone with geometric patterns. Rutas Por Marruecos
In addition to the classic earthenware, it is possible to find on the market tajines made of enameled cast iron that can be used on the fire or in the oven (although they are usually much more expensive). Traditionally, the tajine is prepared on a majmar, a portable clay vessel in the shape of a giant cup in which the embers are placed. In the absence of a majmar, the tajine can be mounted on an ordinary charcoal brazier. The traditional clay tajine can NOT be placed on a direct fire because it will break.
Where to buy a Moroccan tajine
Blessed be the 21st century that allows us to buy Moroccan items from the other side of the world. Wherever you live, getting your own tajine is just a click away. There is something for everyone: cast iron, stainless steel and ceramic. You can find them on Mercado Libre, Amazon and Ebay.
If you are lucky enough to travel to Morocco or have an acquaintance who is going, the best thing to do is to get a tajine in the souk. The souks (traditional markets) are concentrated in the medina (old quarter) of the city and are divided by specialties. The tajine merchants are most likely to be found in the spice souk. There you will find several stores selling the classic handmade tajine made of baked clay and cheaper than in any online store. Don’t forget to haggle!
Eating tajine in Morocco
Would you like to try an authentic tajine in the streets of Morocco? Places abound, but keep in mind that the price, quantity and quality of tajine vary greatly from one place to another. For it to be 100% authentic, it must be cooked in its characteristic clay pot over coals. For reasons of practicality in cooking times, in areas with a large influx of tourists it is usually prepared in the oven in metal containers and only served in the ceramic tajín for presentation. Viajes a Marruecos
If we get strict with the method, it is untraditional. Add an inflated cost and the dish is no longer profitable. To make no mistake, nothing better than to ask the locals where they would go to eat an authentic tajín. The price is usually between 50 and 90 Moroccan dirham.
How to prepare the tajine
It takes patience to cook a tajine. The method is that the ingredients are cooked in their own juices, with little or no added water or oil. The juice is obtained from the steam given off by the food, which condenses and precipitates as it rises through the cone, moistening the food. This method allows the flavors to blend and accentuate.
Once ready, it is removed from the fire and left uncovered in the center of the table. Diners eat directly from the bowl, using their own hands with a piece of khubz bread as cutlery. The khubz or jubz is a round, flat, unleavened Arabian bread, a must to accompany the tajine. Sharing all of the same dish is a custom rooted not only in Islam, but also in many other Eastern cultures, and is a way of strengthening social ties. Clay tajin cooked on the embers.
Moroccan tajine recipe
Here is what you were waiting for, the Moroccan tajine recipe. And we bring you a recipe accessible to all, without tajine! Just as you read. A tajine without tajine with tajine flavor prepared by an authentic Moroccan. No excuses. We are going to share with you the step by step for a vegetarian tajine. However, following the same guidelines you can make it with meat of any kind or with other vegetables and even with other spices and seasonings. You will see that it is very easy and can be made wherever and whenever you want.
Ingredients for the tajín
- 1 onion
- 1 tomato
- 1/2 kg Potatoes
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 carrot
- 1 small or 1/2 large bell bell pepper
- 1/2 cube of vegetable or chicken broth
A dash of cayenne or, alternatively, a dash of fried tomato sauce
A little olive oil to oil the tajine base
Spices to taste: turmeric, red bell pepper, coriander powder, pepper, salt and optionally cinnamon
A splash of water
How to make the tajín
Cut the onions into julienne strips and the tomatoes into slices; the peeled potatoes into quarters or slices; the bell bell pepper into slices; the sweet potato into large sticks or quarters and the carrot into large sticks. The way you cut the potato, sweet potato, carrot and bell bell pepper is indifferent. The important thing is that you like the way they are presented aesthetically. If you like, you can also add zucchini.
Oil the bottom of the tajín so that the food does not stick. If you do not have a tajín, you can use a cast iron casserole or a large frying pan. Turn on the fire to medium power.
Cover the base of the tajín, the casserole or the frying pan with the chopped onion and distribute the tomato slices on top. Then add the potatoes, the sweet potato and the carrot with the presentation that we like the most and on top of everything go the red peppers. Between layers, season to taste with salt, pepper, turmeric, coriander powder, red bell pepper and, optionally, cinnamon.
Crumble the bouillon cube with your hands and sprinkle it over the vegetables. To enhance the flavor add cayenne or, if not available, a dash of fried tomato sauce as a substitute.
Add a splash of water to facilitate cooking. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. If meat is added, it should be left to cook for 45-60 minutes. If you are preparing the tajín in a casserole or frying pan, cover the preparation leaving a little opening on the sides so that it breathes.
When it is finished cooking, remove from the heat and present it at the table in the same container where it was made. Don’t forget to serve it with bread, enjoy!
Cooking time
- For vegetable tajín 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- For tajín with meat 45-60 minutes.
Leave a Reply