Saturday, October 27, 2012

a taste of Morocco

standing in Europa Point on a clear day i can see the Rif Mountains in not-so-far-away Morocco.  when we visited a few years ago, we went straight to Marrakech and it was a sweet assault on the senses and an unforgettable experience.  i especially love the souks, where one winding little alley can lead you to an Aladdin’s treasure trove :)
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I remember one memorable dinner that we had was chicken tagine and we ate it right inside a “tagine” or the special clay pot that the meat was cooked in along with lots of other yummy ingredients like apricots, apples, pears, nuts, honey, preserved lemons and a complexity of spices.  basically, it is a one-pot slow-cooked stew that is cooked until the meat is falling off the bone.  well, one regret that i had when we went to Morocco was that i didn’t buy the tagine.  only now did i realize that i want to cook my own version of a chicken tagine!  so off i went to the Moroccan shop and bought myself one :)
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i didnt follow a recipe because i didn’t know where to get the necessary spices and the preserved lemons so i experimented with the ingredients!  i added couscous to make it filling and sprinkled roasted flake almonds on top too.  well, it got cooked! and was yummy too :)  give me time to perfect my version and will share it with you ;)  there are plenty of recipes that you can get online but the one big obstacle might be the spices.
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in the meantime, here’s zizu, the trusty camel :)
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8 comments:

  1. Oooh I'm so jealous, I'd love to go to Morocco! I've never had a real tagine either, but I'd love to try one. I love the pattern on the one you bought, it's so pretty! Fancy coming over to my place and cooking something in a tagine for me? :)
    xoxo Lauren

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    1. YES! aloha lauren! are there moroccan restaurants there? you gotta try it!xx

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  2. I've never seen or heard of a tagine before! I love learning new things. Your pot is so beautiful. I googled them and oh my what a variety! One pot meals are a favorite around my house!

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  3. Very cool view! And exciting to be near enough to visit Morocco! :)

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    1. thanks jo! we are at the last point in europe before crossing over to the african continent so its really exciting :)

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  4. I was in Morocco when I was 14. Magical! Would love to go back...

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    1. indeed it is annie :) i think you will be even more mesmerized the next time you visit :)

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