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Ideas for Cooking in a Moroccan Tagine

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 modern cookware similar to pressure cookers when making stews, tagines are still favored by those that admire the unique, gradual-cooked flavor that the clayware imparts to the food. In addition, tagines stay the cookware of alternative in lots of rural areas as a matter of cultural norms.

Before a new tagine can be used, you must 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 different from cooking in a conventional pot in a number of ways.

Presentation

The tagine doubles as both a cooking vessel and a serving dish that keeps the meals warm. Dishes served in a tagine are traditionally eaten communally; diners gather around the tagine and eat by hand, utilizing pieces of Moroccan bread to scoop up meat, vegetables, and sauce. Since you won't be stirring through the cooking, take care the way you arrange or layer ingredients for a ravishing table presentation.

Cooking

Tagines are most often used on the stovetop however will also be placed in the oven. When cooking with a tagine on the stoveprime, the usage of a cheap diffuser between the tagine and the heat supply 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 doesn't crack and break.

The tagine should also only be used over low or medium-low heat to keep away from damaging the tagine or scorching the food; use only as much heat as crucial to keep up a simmer. Tagines can also be used over small fires or in braziers over charcoal. It can be tricky to keep up an adequately low temperature. It's best to use a small quantity of charcoal or wood to establish a heat source after which periodically feed small handfuls of new fuel to keep the fire or embers burning. This way you may avoid too high a heat.

Avoid subjecting the tagine to excessive temperature adjustments, which can cause the tagine to crack. Don't, for instance, add highly regarded liquids to a cold tagine (and vice versa), and do not set a scorching tagine on a really cold surface. Should 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 might call for browning the meat firstly, but this really is not essential when cooking in a tagine. You will discover that tagine recipes call for adding the vegetables and meats to the vessel on the very beginning. This is totally 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; do not be overly cautious in utilizing it otherwise you'll end up with watery sauce or presumably scorched ingredients. In most recipes for 4 to 6 folks, you may need between 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oil (sometimes part butter), which will mix with cooking liquids to make ample sauce for scooping up with bread. Select olive oil for the very best taste and its health benefits. Those with dietary or health considerations can simply avoid the sauce when eating.

Less water is required when cooking in a tagine because the cone-formed high condenses steam and returns it to the dish. In case you've erred by adding an excessive amount of water, reduce the liquids on the end of cooking right into a thick sauce because a watery sauce shouldn't be desirable.

It may take a while to reduce a large quantity of liquid in a tagine. If the dish is in any other case achieved, you possibly can caretotally pour the liquids right into a small pan to reduce quickly, then return the thickened sauce back to the tagine.

Have Endurance

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 could take as much as 4 hours. Strive not to interrupt the cooking by frequently lifting the lid to check on the food; that's finest left toward the top of cooking while you add ingredients or check on the level of liquids.

Cleaning

Hot water and baking soda (or salt) are normally sufficient for cleaning your tagine. If vital, you can use a really mild cleaning soap but rinse extra well since you do not need the unglazed clay to soak up a soapy taste. Pat dry and rub the internal surfaces of the tagine with olive oil earlier than storing it.