Moroccan Lamb Tagine with Prunes
Few dishes capture the essence of Moroccan cuisine like a tagine of lamb or beef with prunes. This sweet and savoury masterpiece is a celebration of flavours, blending tender, slow-cooked meat with the rich sweetness of prunes and the fragrant warmth of ginger, saffron, cinnamon, and pepper. Traditionally reserved for weddings, holiday gatherings, and other special occasions, this dish has a way of transforming any meal into a feast.
Ingredients
Meat Marinade
- 1000 g 2.2 lbs lamb, (preferably from the leg with some bone)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ras el hanout
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 2 garlic cloves pressed or grated
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 5 g fresh coriander chopped
- 50 ml olive oil
For Cooking the Meat
- 50 ml sunflower oil
- 225 g yellow onion finely chopped
- 15 g fresh coriander chopped
- 250 ml water
caramelised Onion Mix
- 25 ml sunflower oil
- 250 g yellow onion sliced
- 15 g honey
- 15 g cane sugar
- 125 ml reserved juice from the meat
- 150 g prunes
Optional Garnish
- Sesame seeds
- Fried almonds
- Boiled egg halves or quail egg halves
Instructions
- Marinate the Meat in a large bowl by combining the meat, salt, ras el hanout, turmeric, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cinnamon, 5g of chopped coriander, and 25ml of sunflower oil. Mix well to coat the meat evenly. Let it sit while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Heat the olive oil and remaining sunflower oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the marinated meat and cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly to brown it evenly. Add the finely chopped yellow onion and coriander, cooking briefly until fragrant.
- Pour in the water, cane sugar, and honey, stirring to combine. Cover the pan and let the meat simmer for about 60 minutes, or until tender.
- Once cooked, carefully remove the meat from the pan and set it aside. Scoop out 125ml of the cooking juice and reserve it for later.
- Prepare the Prune mix by adding the prunes to the pan with the remaining cooking juice. Cook over high heat for 7-10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and the prunes are soft and sticky. Keep a close eye on the mixture to avoid burning.
- Caramelize the onions by heating the sunflower oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until the edges are golden brown. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, allowing the onions to soften. Stir in the cane sugar, reserved juice, and honey. Cook for another 7-10 minutes until the onions are deeply caramelized and glossy.
- To serve, place the meat on a large serving platter and spoon the caramelized prunes and onions over the top. For an authentic touch, garnish with sesame seeds or fried almonds. Serve warm, accompanied by fresh Moroccan bread and a crisp salad.