Moroccon food is very similar to Indian food in terms of its intense and complex flavours, its use of fresh seasonal produce and its sweet-sour-spicy quotient. One bite gives you a little of everything- the strong aromas, the creative blend of flavours, the mix of ground and whole spices, and the use of unusual vegetables for curries. Somehow the whole experience of making it and eating it is colourful, dramatic and luxurious.
A
tagine is a dish from North Africa, which is named after the special earthenware pot in which it is cooked. A traditional tagine pot is formed entirely of heavy clay, consisting of two parts: a base unit that is flat and circular, and a large cone shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The conical top is designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom, retaining all the flavours within.
Tagines, in Moroccan cooking are slow-cooked stews braised at low temperatures for long periods, resulting in meat that is tender with aromatic vegetables and a curry sauce.
Although, I didn’t use a
tagine to make my vegetables, I tried to replicate the mechanism by simmering the vegetables on a very low flame for 40-60 min in a non-stick saucepan covered with a lid. Meat lovers may alter the recipe and add any meat they favour along with the veggies.
The ‘
Couscous’ is something of a culinary delight. It is a semolina-based pasta dish, and is usually served with a meat or vegetable stew spooned over it. It provides a beautiful main course supplement to the tagine veggies; accounting for the carbs that we love so much. It is light, tasty and so quick to make. In fact, I love eating it with just about anything!
Babaganoush is a slightly twisted version of the Indian ‘
baigan ka bharta’. The taste however is quite different and requires some getting used to. The main ingredient in babaganoush is the ‘
tahini’ which is basically roasted sesame seed paste. You can buy this readymade or make some at home.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 min
Cooking time: 60 min
Cooking pot: Tagine (or any non-stick wide saucepan)
Ingredients
Tagine Veggies
1 cup cooked chick peas (keep the stock)
1 onion cut into slices
1 carrot cut into round slices
1 sweet potato cut into round slices
1 potato cut into round slices
1 parsnip (can use radish instead) cut into round slices
¼ cauliflower cut into medium pieces
½ raw banana cut into round slices
2 tomatoes halved and sliced
Fresh coriander
Fresh flat leaf parsley
Fresh mint leaves
4-5 dried apricots, de-seeded and chopped fine
3 strings saffron, heated in ¼ cup milk to release flavour
½ pickled lemon
5-6 fennel seeds (Sauf)
2-3 tsp olive oil
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
Tagine spices:
Cumin seeds
Coriander seeds
1 inch cinamon stick
Red chilli powder
Dry ginger powder
Turmeric powder
Couscous
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Mint leaves
Couscous
Juice of half a lemon
1tsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Babaganoush
1 big aubergine roasted, de-skinned and chopped fine
1 tbsp tahini
2 cloves garlic chopped fine
Juice of half a lemon
½ tsp cumin powder
½ tsp ground black pepper
Fresh coriander or fresh parsley finely chopped
½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Method
Tagine Veggies
For making the tagine spice mix, dry roast some cumin seeds, coriander seeds and cinnamon in a pan. Grind into a powder. Keep aside.
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the sliced onions, and sauté till they brown. Now add the rest of the veggies (except tomatoes). Season with salt and the tagine spice mix. Add red chilli powder, dry ginger powder and turmeric powder. Mix well, cover and cook for 3-4 min. Now add the cooked chick peas, along with its stock. Add some fresh coriander, mint and parsley leaves. Add the dried apricots, saffron strings and fennel seeds. Cover and let simmer for about 20-25min checking once or twice in between. Now add the tomatoes, pickled lemon and season with a pinch of sugar. Cover and cook for another 5 min; garnish with some fresh coriander.
Couscous
Put the couscous into a bowl and add hot water to it (can add vegetable stock) according to the instructions on the box. Season with salt and add some extra virgin olive oil. Cover and set aside for 5-7 min. Once the couscous absorbs all the stock it will become soft and fluffy. Use a fork to loosen the couscous. Now add the cherry tomatoes, some lime juice, and garnish with mint. Serve hot along with the veggie tagine.
Babaganoush
Mix all the ingredients together and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil. Serve as a dip or a side dish along with the couscous.
