By Layla Dahamou
Morocco World News
Taroudant, Nov 8, 2012
Tangia (sometimes spelled tanjia) is a Moroccan urn-shaped clay pot primarily used for preserving butter, honey, olive oil, and occasionally for cooking. The word Tangia is now famous for the rich and delicious meat-based dish prepared in Morocco, more specifically in Marrakesh.
A Tangia, like Tagines and other clay cookware, should be soaked in water for at least one day before its first use to guarantee a long life service. It is also advisable to cook some oil or fat in the new earthen cookware to make it strong and last for a long time serving you with irresistible taste.
It is believed that Tangia originated in Marrakesh. The most famous story relates the invention of Tangia to unmarried working men. The bachelor workers would make equal contributions to buy meat and the entire necessary ingredients, and would appoint one of their colleagues to prepare it and take it to a public oven before heading to their place of work. There, the Tangia would be placed into the deep hot ashes to be slowly cooked until the workers came back to retrieve it when their work is done.
Like tea, Tangia remains men’s dish par excellence. Even though it is usually made by men, Tangia can be prepared by everyone provided that they master the secret of a good one, which is revealed in this traditional recipe.
Ingredients:
1,5 kg lamb meat.
½ kg chopped onion.
¼ cup olive oil.
2 tbsp cumin.
1 tsp ground coriander seeds.
1 tsp ginger.
1 tsp paprika.
1 tsp salt.
1 tsp black pepper.
1 tsp ras lhanout.
1 pickled lemon cut into 4 slices.
2 tbsp Semen or ghee.
2 bay leaves.
Some saffron stamens soaked in water.
6 chopped cloves of garlic.
2 cups water.
Way of preparation:
1. Cut meat into 4 or 5 pieces and mix with other ingredients.
2. Put the seasoned meat inside Tangia (a clay cooking pot).
3. Add chopped onions, bay leaves and pickled lemon.
4. Add water and cover tightly the opening of Tangia with aluminum paper then pierce the paper into small holes with fork.
5. The Tangia should be cooked over slow hot ashes (in the traditional oven outside at least for 4 hours.).
.6. You can still use a pressure cooker instead of the clay pot, but don’t expect the same result because the secret of the mouth watering taste lies in the clay pot and the slow cooking process.
Serve in a large plate with bread.
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