Savouring the spices of Morocco: a guide to cooking Beef Tajine

11/1/2014

FOODIE | SERIES Chef's Local Table

Tajine of beef with prunes and almonds. A delicious dish that should take time, but it is well worth the effort. A classic dish from Moroccan cuisine.

BY HANAN, recipe

HALAL

Recipe for the Beef Tajine

■ Ingredients

- 750 g of beef, cut into equal pieces.
- 150 g of prunes.
- 150 g of almonds.
- 1 large onion, coarsely chopped.
- 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds.
- 1 teaspoon of salt.
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin.
- 1 teaspoon of pepper.
- Half a teaspoon of saffron.
- Half a teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Half a teaspoon of ginger powder.
- Pinch of mild paprika powder.
- Sugar.
- Olive oil.

■ Preparation

- Place the beef in the tagine. Add the onion, salt, olive oil and spices and put the tagine on the fire. Brown the meat.
- Add a splash of water and let the beef simmer until it is tender (about 1 hour).
- Put the prunes in a saucepan with water, add a spoon of sugar and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- Let the almonds boil for 5 minutes in some water, until the membranes easily come off.
- Bake the almonds in a pan with a layer of oil until they have a nice dark brown color.
- Spoon the prunes, almonds and sesame seeds over the meat before serving.

Enjoy your food.