Today we're heading to Morocco — land of spicy aromas, tagines, and ancient culinary traditions. We're making two iconic dishes: sweet-savory meat with prunes and fragrant fish kebabs with spices.
🍖 Lamb Tagine with Prunes
A classic Moroccan dish where tender lamb simmers with prunes, almonds, and honey. The combination of dried fruit sweetness with aromatic spices creates a deep, multi-layered flavor — the calling card of Moroccan cuisine.
Ingredients:
• Lamb (shoulder or shank) — 800 g
• Pitted prunes — 200 g
• Yellow onions — 2 large
• Almonds (sliced or whole) — 80 g
• Honey — 2 tablespoons
• Ground cinnamon — 1 teaspoon
• Ground ginger — 1 teaspoon
• Saffron (or turmeric) — pinch
• Olive oil — 3 tablespoons
• Butter — 30 g
• Fresh cilantro — small bunch
• Salt, black pepper — to taste
• Water or broth — 400 ml
• Sesame seeds for serving — 1 tablespoon
Preparation:
1. Preparing the meat and base.
Cut the lamb into 4×4 cm cubes. In a heavy-bottomed pot or tagine, heat olive oil over medium heat. Slice onions into thin half-rings (3-4 mm thick). Sauté the onions until soft and lightly golden — 7-8 minutes, stirring. The onions should become translucent but not burn.
2. Searing the meat with spices.
Add the lamb to the onions. Sear over high heat for 5-6 minutes, turning the pieces until the meat develops a golden crust on all sides. Add the cinnamon, ginger, saffron, salt, and pepper. Stir, sauté for another 2 minutes — the spices should release their aroma and the meat should be completely coated in the spice mixture.
3. Braising the meat.
Pour in water or broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to minimum, cover with a lid, and braise for 1 hour 20 minutes. The meat should become so tender it easily pulls apart with a fork, and the sauce should thicken and take on a rich brown color.
4. Preparing the prunes.
While the meat braises, soak the prunes in warm water for 15 minutes, then drain in a colander. In a separate pan, melt the butter, add honey and prunes. Simmer over low heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The prunes should become soft, glossy, coated in a caramel glaze.
5. Toasting the almonds.
In a dry pan, toast the almonds over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, constantly shaking the pan. The almonds should turn golden and release a nutty aroma. Don't let them burn — nuts darken quickly.
6. Final assembly.
When the meat is ready, add the caramelized prunes with sauce to the tagine. Stir, braise for another 5 minutes uncovered so the sauce becomes thicker and coats all the ingredients. The liquid should reduce by half, acquiring a syrupy consistency.
7. Serving.
Transfer the tagine to a large platter, sprinkle with toasted almonds and sesame seeds. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves. Serve with couscous or fresh bread — the sauce should soak into the accompaniment.
💡 Fact: Tagine with prunes (called 'tagine hlow') is traditionally prepared for holidays and weddings in Morocco. The combination of sweet and savory is a legacy of Arab-Andalusian cuisine, when in the 7th-15th centuries the Moors brought to North Africa the tradition of using dried fruits in meat dishes.
🐟 Moroccan Fish Kebabs (Kefta)
Aromatic fish patty-kebabs infused with a blend of cilantro, paprika, and cumin. Crispy crust outside, tender texture inside — a popular dish in Morocco's coastal cities, especially Essaouira and Casablanca.
Ingredients:
• White fish fillet (cod, hake, sea bass) — 600 g
• Potatoes — 2 medium (about 200 g)
• Fresh cilantro — large bunch (40 g)
• Fresh parsley — half bunch (20 g)
• Garlic — 3 cloves
• Sweet paprika — 1 teaspoon
• Ground cumin — 1 teaspoon
• Ground coriander — half teaspoon
• Hot pepper (cayenne or chili) — quarter teaspoon
• Egg — 1
• Breadcrumbs — 3 tablespoons + for breading
• Flour — for shaping
• Salt — to taste
• Vegetable oil for frying — 100 ml
• Lemon for serving — 1
Preparation:
1. Preparing the potatoes.
Boil potatoes in their skins until fully cooked — 25-30 minutes after boiling begins. Check with a knife: it should pierce easily to the center. Cool, peel, mash with a fork into lump-free puree. The puree should be dry, without milk or butter.
2. Preparing the fish.
Check the fish fillet for bones, remove them with tweezers. Cut the fish into 2×2 cm cubes. Transfer to a blender bowl or food processor. Pulse into a coarse ground mixture — 8-10 short pulses of 1-2 seconds each. The texture should be uneven, with visible fish pieces the size of rice grains, not a smooth paste.
3. Preparing herbs and spices.
Wash cilantro and parsley, pat dry with a towel, finely chop with a knife (particle size 2-3 mm). Crush garlic through a press or grate on a fine grater to a paste.
4. Mixing the mixture.
In a large bowl, combine the fish mixture, mashed potato, chopped herbs, garlic, all spices (paprika, cumin, ground coriander, hot pepper), salt. Crack the egg, add breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly with hands for 3-4 minutes. The mixture should become homogeneous, sticky, but hold its shape. If too wet — add another tablespoon of breadcrumbs.
5. Shaping the kebabs.
Wet your hands with cold water. Take a portion of mixture the size of a large chicken egg (about 80 g). Form an elongated patty 8-10 cm long, 2 cm thick, slightly flattened — the classic kebab shape. Coat in flour on all sides, shake off excess. Repeat with remaining mixture — you'll get 8-10 kebabs.
6. Frying.
In a deep skillet, heat oil over medium heat to 170-180°C (drop a bread crumb — it should sizzle and brown in 20 seconds). Place kebabs in batches of 4-5, not overcrowding the pan. Fry for 4 minutes on each side. The crust should turn golden-brown, crispy, and when pressed with a spatula the kebab should be firm, not soft.
7. Final treatment and serving.
Transfer finished kebabs to paper towels to drain excess oil. Let rest for 2-3 minutes — inside they'll reach perfect temperature. Serve hot with lemon wedges, fresh vegetables, and Moroccan tomato salad. When cut, the interior should be white, juicy, with visible fish fibers.
💡 Fact: Kefta (kefta hut) is a traditional dish from fishing villages on Morocco's Atlantic coast. Fishermen prepared these kebabs from the day's catch right on the beach, using simple spices and herbs. Today kefta is popular street food in coastal cities, where it's served in flatbreads with spicy harissa sauce.