Chicken Tagine Recipe

A tagine (Arabic: طاجين‎) is a historically Berber dish from North Africa that is named after the special earthenware pot in which it is cooked. A similar dish, known as tavvas, is found in the cuisine of Cyprus.
The traditional tagine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay, which is sometimes painted or glazed. It consists of two parts: a base unit that is flat and circular with low sides and a large cone- or dome-shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The cover is designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving. Tajines are also used and made in Morocco.
European manufacturers have created tagines with heavy cast-iron bottoms that can be heated on a cooking stove to a high temperature. This permits the browning of meat and vegetables before cooking.
Typically, a tagine is a rich stew of meat, which can include beef, chicken, fish, or #howtocook #arabrecipes #middleeasternfood, and most often also includes vegetables or fruit. Vegetarian versions of this stew can be made.
The use of ceramics in Moroccan cooking is probably a Roman influence. Romans likely brought ceramics to the area during their rule of Roman Africa.
Many ceramic tagines are exquisite examples of show pieces as well as functional cooking vessels. Some tagines, however, are intended only to be used as decorative serving dishes.
Unglazed clay tagines are favored by some for the unique earthy nuance they impart to dishes. Like their glazed counterparts, they come in all sizes. The smallest might hold enough food for one or two people, while the largest can hold a meal for eight people or more.
Moroccan tagine dishes are slow-cook savory stews and vegetable dishes. Tagines are stews made with sliced meat, poultry, or fish together with vegetables or fruit. Also spices, nuts and dried fruits are used. Common spices would be ginger, cumin, salt, black pepper tumeric cumin cinnamon and saffron. Paprika and chili are used vegetable tagine. The sweet and sour combination is usual in tagine dishes like #howtocook #arabrecipes #middleeasternfood with dates and spices. Tagines are served with couscous or bread. Because the domed or cone-shaped lid of the tagine pot traps steam and returns the condensed liquid to the pot, a minimal amount of water is needed to cook meats and vegetables to buttery-tenderness. This method of cooking is very practical in areas where water supplies are limited or where public water is not yet available.
The traditional method of cooking with a tagine is to place the tagine over coals. Large bricks of charcoal are purchased specifically for their ability to stay hot for hours. Smaller pieces of charcoal are reserved for cooking brochettes (Barbecue)and other grilled meats.
You can try cooking a tagine over charcoal (be sure to leave adequate space between the coals and the tagine or the temperature will be too high), but it's okay to use a tagine in a slow oven or place it on a gas or electric stove top. Use the lowest heat necessary to keep the stew simmering gently. A diffuser -- a circular piece of aluminum placed between the tagine and burner -- is highly recommended to buffer and more evenly distribute the stove's heat.
Persons without access to a tajine may replicate the typical stew by using a slow cooker or similar item; the result will be slightly different owing to the different geometry, but sufficiently similar to produce a good dish.