Tajine

(Tagine)

Tajine, also known as tagine, refers both to the rich Moroccan stews and the cooking vessel used to make them. When referring to the cooking vessel, it is a round and shallow, clay or ceramic casserole with a tall, pointy, conical lid.

The same lid fits into the base, so the steam condenses on its interior and drops back into the stew without any waste of flavors and moisture. The pots are ideal for slow cooking over embers or on a stove, resulting in buttery, tender vegetables and meat that falls off the bone.

Tajines can be glazed or unglazed - the unglazed ones are earthier and darken over time, while the glazed ones are recommended for people who cook infrequently. There are also serving tajines, which are usually decorated and lighter than the other tajines, but they're not resistant to heat. Read more

In the area of Rif Mountains, there's tagra, an unglazed tajine with little clay handles and without a lid. A Berber tajine is known as chalhaoui, and it has a rounded, dome-shaped lid instead of the conical one. Tajines show Moroccan cuisine's affinity for combining different textures and mixing flavors, such as a well-balanced blend of savory and sweet, for example, chicken with tomato and almonds, and veal cuts with stewed, sliced pears.

Baby artichokes, spring peas, and various nuts such as almonds or pistachios are a common ingredient in tajines. These dishes are often accompanied by couscous, steamed rice, or fresh, hot bread, and the varieties are virtually limitless – from seafood tajines with mussels and tomato sauce, to lamb tajines with vegetables such as onions, carrots, potatoes, and olives, fruits such as apricots and raisins, and lots of spices such as red and black pepper, cumin, saffron, and turmeric, tajines are a national dish full of creativity and flavour.

Morocco

Types of Tajine

Pairing tips

Wine Appellation

Rioja Alta

Rioja Alta is a Spanish designation located in the west of the renowned Rioja wine region, with a center of production in the city of Haro. Tempranillo and Mazuelo ... Read more

WHERE TO EAT The best Tajine in the world (according to food experts)

Alexander Lobrano and 13 other food critics.

"Run by a group of local women, this is the place to discover real Moroccan home cooking, including dozens of salads and tagines (meat, poultry, or fish braised in a conical ceramic dish with various garnishes)."

Rough Guides and 8 other food critics.

"Tuck into scrumptious, lovingly cooked traditional dishes in this beautiful family home. Meals are from a set menu, but you get a choice of 4 or 5 mains (think lamb tajine) - though it's very easy to fill up on the freshly baked bread and array of tasty Moroccan salads to start."

Alexander Lobrano and 5 other food critics.

"The famous lamb tagine with caramelized oranges and a sauce of the meat’s juices, saffron, turmeric, and ginger is a must."

Anthony Bourdain and 5 other food critics.

"Tonight, baby shark, calamari and monkfish, with fresh mountain spinach. Slowly cooked over charcoal in the classic clay pot that gives it its name, the Tagine's dome top. It's supposed to force the condensation back into the dish and keep it moist and tender. That's delicious. With these greens and the aromatics and herbs, I have no idea what they are. I've never had anything like that. The Tangier version of farm to table."

Darren Loucaides and 6 other food critics.

"Tender, piquant lamb tagine at Chez Chegrouni, Ali's recommendation. The handsome restaurant sparkled with enameled terra-cotta mosaics, yet the excellent food was less expensive."

Raphael Kadushin and 5 other food critics.

"La Maison Arabe, Marrakesh's pioneer boutique riad hotel in the medina, takes its food very seriously. The culinary ambition comes courtesy of owner Fabrizio Ruspoli, whose restaurant Les Trois Saveurs triumphantly reclaims Morocco's beleaguered signature dish, the tagine."

Fodor's Travel and 5 other food critics.

"La Sqala also serves lunch and dinner, offering a perfect mix of traditional but tasteful Moroccan design and atmosphere coupled with splendid Moroccan salads and tagines."

Rough Guides and 4 other food critics.

"A hole in the wall that just happens to serve the best tajines in town."

Lonely Planet and 4 other food critics.

"The bonus for you is a truly tasty array of dishes including unusual salads composed of lentils, cauliflower and leeks, fish tajine, spiced tanjia and traditional Friday couscous."