123 – Lamb Tajine with Caramelized Dried Fruits Recipe -EidAlAdha Special

Ingredients :

• Meat: 1 1/2 pounds of lamb shoulder chops
• Meat: 2 medium sized onions, grated
• Meat: 1 teaspoon of ginger powder
• Meat: 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
• Meat: 1 teaspoons of salt
• Meat: 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• Meat: 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
• Meat: a large pinch of saffron
• Meat: 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• Meat: 1-2 cups of water
• Dried Fruit: 8 oz of dried fruit (you can pick multiple batches of 8 oz: dates, figs, dried apricots, dried prunes, etc.)
• Dried Fruit (for 8 oz of dried fruit): 2 tablespoons of honey
• Dried Fruit (for 8 oz of dried fruit): 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
• Dried Fruit (for 8 oz of dried fruit): 1 tablespoon of orange blossom water
• Dried Fruit (for 8 oz of dried fruit): 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
• Dried Fruit (for 8 oz of dried fruit): 1/2 cup of water
• Coating for the Dried Fruits: shredded unsweetened coconut, chopped unsalted roasted almonds, and sesame seeds.

Directions :

Marinating the Meat:
1- Mix all the meat spices with the vegetable oil, onion, and meat.
2- Cover the bowl containing the meat with a plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Cooking the Meat – Tajine Style:
1- On medium heat, add the marinated meat and onions to your cooking pan. Cover your pan and let them cook for 10 minutes.
2- After 10 minutes, turn the meat chops to the other side and add 1 cup of water. Cover your pan and let the meat cook until done (approximately 1 hour).
3- While the meat is cooking, stir it from time to time, also flip the meat on different sides to ensure uniform cooking, and check out the level of water and add as necessary. Keep doing this until the meat is fully cooked.
4- When the meat is cooked, taste the sauce and adjust the spices accordingly.

Preparing the Caramelized Dried Fruits:
1- Cook each batch of dried fruit separately (e.g. cook the dates in a sauce pan, and the figs in another). Tip: prepare the dried fruits 30 minutes before serving the dish so that they are eaten hot/warm.
2- In a sauce pan, place the 8 oz of a selected dried fruit, butter, cinnamon, orange blossom water, honey, and the 1/2 cup of water. Cover the plan and let the dried fruit cook for 15-20 minutes on medium high. Stir from time to time.
3- Once the dried fruits are caramelized, roll them on sesame seeds, unsweetened shredded coconut, or chopped unsalted roasted almonds.

Serving the Tajine:
1- To serve the tajine, place the meat first, cover with some of the sauce, then place the dried fruits on top of the meat.
2- Serve immediately with Moroccan bread or French baguette. Enjoy!