Kitchen · Main dishes
Tanjia marrakchia
The bachelor's dish of Marrakech: meat, spices and a clay jar left for hours in the embers of the hammam.
- Preparation10 min
- Cooking4 h
- Total4 h 10 min
- Serves5
Ingredients
| 1.5 kg | beef shank or lamb, on the bone, in large pieces |
| 1 | preserved lemon, quartered |
| 8 | garlic cloves, whole |
| 2 tsp | cumin |
| 1 tsp | ras el hanout, optional |
| pinch | saffron, a generous one |
| 1 tbsp | smen |
| 3 tbsp | olive oil |
| 150 ml | water |
| salt |
Method
- Put everything in the tanjia jar, or in a heavy casserole with a tight lid. Shake to mix; do not stir.
- Seal the jar with baking paper tied with string and pierce a small hole. For a casserole, close the lid over a sheet of foil.
- In Marrakech the jar goes to the hammam furnace for five to six hours. At home, cook it in the oven at 150 °C for four hours.
- The meat is ready when it falls apart at a touch. Tip it into a dish with its juices and eat with bread.
Tip
No stirring and no peeking for the first three hours: the steam does the work.