Many Moroccan dishes take their name from a tagine, which is the clay or ceramic vessel in which they were traditionally cooked. Though city Moroccans may be more inclined to make use of trendy cookware equivalent to pressure cookers when making stews, tagines are nonetheless favored by those who appreciate the distinctive, gradual-cooked taste that the clayware imparts to the food. In addition, tagines remain the cookware of choice in lots of rural areas as a matter of cultural norms.
Earlier than a new tagine can be utilized, you will need to season it so it is strengthened to withstand moderate cooking temperatures. As soon as the tagine is seasoned, it is straightforward to use. But there’s more to know―cooking in a tagine is completely different from cooking in a standard pot in a number of ways.
Presentation
The tagine doubles as each a cooking vessel and a serving dish that keeps the food warm. Dishes served in a tagine are traditionally eaten communally; diners collect across the tagine and eat by hand, utilizing pieces of Moroccan bread to scoop up meat, vegetables, and sauce. Because you won’t be stirring through the cooking, take care how you arrange or layer ingredients for a wonderful table presentation.
Cooking
Tagines are most frequently used on the stovetop however can be positioned in the oven. When cooking with a tagine on the stoveprime, the usage of an affordable diffuser between the tagine and the heat source is essential. A diffuser is a flat metal paddle that sits between the burner and the tagine and, because the name says, diffuses the heat so the ceramic does not crack and break.
The tagine should also only be used over low or medium-low heat to avoid damaging the tagine or scorching the meals; use only as a lot heat as vital to take care of a simmer. Tagines can also be used over small fires or in braziers over charcoal. It may be tricky to maintain an adequately low temperature. It is best to make use of a small quantity of charcoal or wood to ascertain a heat supply and then periodically feed small handfuls of new fuel to keep the fire or embers burning. This way you may keep away from too high a heat.
Keep away from subjecting the tagine to extreme temperature changes, which can cause the tagine to crack. Don’t, for example, add very popular liquids to a cold tagine (and vice versa), and don’t set a scorching tagine on a really cold surface. If you use a clay or ceramic tagine in an oven, place the cold tagine in a cold oven on a rack, then set the temperature to no more than 325 to 350 F.
Some recipes could call for browning the meat at the beginning, but this really is not mandatory when cooking in a tagine. You’ll discover that tagine recipes call for adding the vegetables and meats to the vessel at the very beginning. This is completely different from conventional pot cooking, where vegetables are added only after the meat has already develop into tender.
Liquids
Oil is essential to tagine cooking; don’t be overly cautious in using it or you’ll find yourself with watery sauce or presumably scorched ingredients. In most recipes for 4 to six folks, you’ll want between 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oil (generally part butter), which will mix with cooking liquids to make ample sauce for scooping up with bread. Choose olive oil for one of the best taste and its health benefits. Those with dietary or health considerations can merely keep away from the sauce when eating.
Much less water is required when cooking in a tagine because the cone-formed high condenses steam and returns it to the dish. In the event you’ve erred by adding an excessive amount of water, reduce the liquids at the finish of cooking into a thick sauce because a watery sauce will not be desirable.
It may well take a while to reduce a big volume of liquid in a tagine. If the dish is otherwise completed, you can careabsolutely pour the liquids into a small pan to reduce quickly, then return the thickened sauce back to the tagine.
Have Patience
When utilizing a tagine, patience is required; let the tagine attain a simmer slowly. Poultry takes about 2 hours to cook, while beef or lamb might take as much as four hours. Try to not interrupt the cooking by often lifting the lid to check on the food; that is finest left toward the end of cooking if you add ingredients or check on the level of liquids.
Cleaning
Hot water and baking soda (or salt) are often sufficient for cleaning your tagine. If needed, you need to use a very mild soap but rinse extra well since you do not need the unglazed clay to absorb a soapy taste. Pat dry and rub the interior surfaces of the tagine with olive oil before storing it.
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