Chicken & Onion Tajin

Today's recipe is a pure Moroccan dish; chicken Tajin. In fact, there are many varieties of the dish, but I chose to present onion and chicken Tajin as it is one of my favorites. You can cook it in no time and it is perfect for lunch or dinner. Moreover, this recipe is light, delicious, and healthy. I hope you enjoy it!

Tips: - for a better taste, soak your chicken in water + salt + vinegar or lemon for at least 
          30 min. Clean and soak it again in water + salt + ginger + vinegar or lemon for at 
          least 15 min. Rinse and let drain. 

Ingredients
       

- Half a chicken, cut (500g)
- 1 bunch of small onions, sliced
- 3 tbsp coriander and parsley, chopped
- 1 onion, cut
- 4 gloves garlic, cut
- 1 quarter pickled lemon
- Some green & red olives
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, pepper, ginger, turmeric, dried safran.  
- Water

Process

1- In your Tajin, put the chicken, cut onion, half of the herbs, half of the seasonings, and olive oil. Cook for 5 to 10 min and toss from time to time.

2- Place the sliced onions, the other half of herbs, seasonings, pickled lemon, and olives. Add 1/2 to 1 cup of water. Cover and cook in low heat for 30 min or until the onions are well cooked.

 Served with bread while still warm. Enjoy your meal!

Moroccan Fish Tajin

     It's a new day, it's a new month, and it's a new recipe! 

     I want to share with you a famous Moroccan recipe; Fish Tajin. Actually, there are a lot of seaside areas in Morocco where you may find Fish tajin restaurants. So, a lot of people may have heard about it. It's delicious, spicy, and healthy. You may use almost any type of fish in this recipe. Personally, I prefer white fish. However, there are a lot of Moroccans who favor oily fish, such as sardines, to prepare their tajins.

     Besides, I am presenting the Moroccan Chermoula, which is a marinade used mainly with fish recipes, but it may be used in some other recipes as well. I hope you enjoy my recipe!

Ingredients

Chermoula

- 7 to 10 gloves Garlic
- A small bunch of Parsley and Coriander
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- Salt, cumin, and a tbsp of paprika.

Tajin

- 1 or 2 medium size fish of your preference
- 2 potatoes, sliced
- 1 big tomato, sliced
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 hot perpper
- 2 to 3 lemon slices
- Chermoula (already prepared)
- Additional seasonings: salt, cumin, paprika and some oil if needed.
- 1/2 cup Water

Process

1- To prepare your Chermoula: Except oil and vinegar, process all the other ingredients in a food processor, or blend with a hand blender until smooth. Add oil and vinegar and mix with a spoon.

2- In a separate bowl, use half of your Chermola to coat the fish.
3- In a tajin, layer potatoes slices, coated fish, tomatoes, pepper, then place the hot pepper and lemon slices on top.

4- Add water to the remaining marinade, add additional seasonings and oil if needed, then pour over the tajin. Cook for 30 to 45 min on low heat. 

Enjoy your meal!!

 

Tajin of Beef with Peas and Artichokes

     It seems to me that a lot of people like Moroccan cuisine, so I decided to prepare another Tajin for you. If you want to know more about this Moroccan dish, please read my first post: Tajin of Potatoes. 

     Well, I don't know a Moroccan who does not like Tajin of beef with peas and artichokes! It's one of the most famous actually. I love it, and I like cooking it for my family and my guests too. it's simple, healthy, and extremely delicious. However, I don't cook it in a Tajin all the time, I often use a pressure cooker to save time. So, If you don't have a Tajin, you can try this recipe in a pan, if you have enough time, or a pressure cooker, if you don't. I chose to cook it in a Tajin just to be 90% traditional Moroccan dish. You know what would make it a 100%? a coal fire! I will show you first my small Tajin which I already mentioned in my first post, 

and now here is the gorgeous dish you may want to try soon,

Ingredients

- 300g beef
- 400 to 500g peas 
- Some artichoke hearts (I used 4, you may add more)
- 1 sliced onion
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley and coriander 
- 2 Tbsp olive oil 
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 quarter of pickled lemon
- 1 cup of water (or as needed)
- Salt, pepper, ginger, turmeric, and a pinch of saffron.

 Process

1- Leave the peas, artichokes and the lemon peal aside. Mix all the other ingredients (don't miss the lemon flesh) and cook on low heat until the onion is slightly translucent.

 2- Add water and cover the Tajin (or the pan) then cook for about 30 to 40 minutes or until the meat is almost cooked. (reduce cooking time if you are using a pressure cooker)

3- Place the peas, artichokes, and the lemon peel. Add some water if needed, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the veggies are done.

That's it, now you may enjoy your fantastic Tajin!

 

 

Tajin of potatoes with paprika and seasonings

       Tajin is a traditional pot formed entirely of heavy clay. In Morocco, we use it to make many dishes. Actually, you can use it to cook almost anything which can be cooked in a pan or a casserole.  It gives a special flavor to the food and it is known to be very healthy. You see below my mother's Tajin since I made this at my parent's. It's relatively big; family size. I have a small one at my place because it's just for me and my husband.

  

      Actually, A lot of people think that meat is crucial while making a nice Tajin. Well, I make Tajin recipes with veggies a lot and I love it! It is easy, tasty, and healthy. I decided to prepare a Tajin of potatoes with paprika to be my first blog post. I hope you try this at home because it's very delicious and it's one of my favorites.

Ingrediends

1 Big onion

1 Tomato

1 cup   chopped tomatoes and onions   

4 to 5   Potatoes

1 Tbsp chopped parsley and coriander

1 Hot pepper

1 slice of pickled lemon

2 Tbsp  Virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp  Cornflower oil

¼          Glass of water

Some  green olives

Spices: Salt, pepper, ginger, and paprika

Process 

1- Start with the onion as a first layer, slice it and put it in the Tajin as shown in the picture below. Season it with salt, pepper, and ginger. 

2- Slice the tomato and add the slices  as a second layer. Season with a pinch of salt, pepper, and ginger same as the onion. 

3- Slice the potatoes about the same size so they may be cooked evenly. Layer them and season with salt, pepper, ginger, and a good amount of paprika. By the way, potatoes need more salt than the other veggies.

 4- Add the chopped tomatoes and onions in the center of the dish.

 5- Add the remaining ingredients; olives, chopped coriander and parsley, olive oil and sunflower oil, hot pepper, lemon confit, and finally water. Try not to pour water over the vegetables because it will wash out the nice red color.

6- Cver the Tajin and cook it in low heat so it does not burn. It needs from 30 to 45 minutes for the water to be evaporated and the veggies to be well cooked.  

7- Serve it  with bread while still warm and enjoy your meal!