Tagine Cookbook: The Best of Vegetarian Tagine and Couscous Recipes and Cooking Methods for You and Your Family to Enjoy

By Waseem Kader Ahmed

Tagine has been a crucial part of traditional Moroccan cuisine for hundreds of years. This word is known to have two meanings. Tagine refers to traditional North African cookware made of either clay or ceramic. It's a shallow and circular dish with a distinct dome-like lid. Another meaning of this word is a slowcooked stew-like dish. As with the

• Language: English
• Publisher: Waseem Kader Ahmed
• Release date: Jul 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088226650

Book preview

Introduction

Tagine has been a crucial part of traditional Moroccan cuisine for hundreds of years. This word is known to have two meanings. Tagine refers to traditional North African cookware made of either clay or ceramic. It’s a shallow and circular dish with a distinct dome-like lid. Another meaning of this word is a slow-cooked stew-like dish. As with the meaning of the word tagine, there are different theories about its origin too. One of the most popular theories is that it was introduced sometime during the 18th-century Islamic empire. Another theory suggests the tagine represents roman influence on Moroccan cooking. Well, it doesn’t matter where the Tagine comes from. All that matters is that this is a brilliant piece of cookware that belongs in every kitchen.

Before dwelling into the world of vegetarian tagine recipes, it’s important to understand that there are two aspects to this book. The first one is that all the recipes include a variety of vegetables and plant-based foods. The second is that all the recipes are prepared using tagine. Cooking with a tagine is one of the most incredible ways to whip up a variety of meals. You will not need any other pots or pans if you’re cooking with them. What more? You can use it to serve as well! Understanding the benefits of both these aspects will increase your inclination and motivation to try the different recipes given in this book.

As a child, chances are your parents were particular about finishing your vegetables before eating dessert. Well, it turns out your parents were right! Vegetables are incredibly good for your health. Eating them is one of the healthiest food habits anyone can develop. The recommended quota of vegetables per day is 2-4 cups per day. It includes leafy greens along with starchy ones and fibrous vegetables too. You might have heard that you should eat the rainbow to improve your overall health. This essentially refers to eating foods of different colors. Eating the rainbow becomes easier when you start increasing your consumption of vegetables.

Vegetables are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals that tackle inflammation. Inflammation, especially chronic inflammation, is a risk factor for several other health conditions ranging from diabetes to cardiovascular disorders. So, the consumption of vegetables reduces inflammation in your body. It is also known to stabilize blood pressure levels. Potassium-rich vegetables such as spinach and beetroot regulate blood pressure, which is good for your heart health. They are also a great source of dietary fiber needed to promote digestive health. High-fiber vegetables are also good for improving your heart health and reducing the risk of diabetes.

Age-related macular degeneration is a leading cause of deteriorating eye health. You can strengthen the eyes by increasing the consumption of two helpful carotenoids known as lutein and zeaxanthin. These are commonly found in red peppers, broccoli, spinach, and basil. Apart from your eyes, you can also promote your skin’s health by increasing your veggie intake. Fresh and wholesome vegetables such as kale, avocados, and even cucumbers ensure your skin stays hydrated and retains its elasticity. So, instead of focusing solely on expensive beauty products, it is better to increase your consumption of vegetables to improve skin health. As mentioned, increased consumption of vegetables is also good for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Whether it is avocados or leafy greens, they contain various nutrients needed to support heart health. Another important benefit of vegetables is that they stabilize blood sugar levels.

Apart from all the benefits mentioned so far, consuming vegetables daily is known to strengthen your immune system and cognitive functioning. So, the only takeaway from all this information is understanding how important vegetables are. If you are looking for creative means to increase your veggie intake, this is the perfect book for you. It is filled with vegetarian tagine recipes that are bound to ensure your body gets its daily dose of nutrients.

Now, let’s get to the second aspect of this book — cooking with a tagine. This is one of the best cookware you will ever use. In fact, this is all you need to whip up a brilliant meal. You no longer have to worry about cleaning multiple dishes, pots, and pans to cook one meal. Instead, the tagine is all you need. From cooking and serving, it does it all. A wonderful thing about meals cooked in a tagine is that it instantly adds a unique flavor to the dish, unlike regular pots and pans. It also brings freshness to any dish you cook. If you love the idea of exotic meals, a tagine is all you need. A tagine is not a new creation. It’s been around for hundreds of years, and it instantly offers a rich cultural feel to any dish you cook. It is perfect for slow cooking too. You simply need to add all the ingredients to the pot, and that’s about it. You can start enjoying wholesome and flavorful meals since all the flavors are sealed within the pot.

Well, aren’t these reasons enough to start adding more vegetables to your daily diet and cooking with a tagine? Now that you are on board with this idea, the next step is to look for recipes. You don’t have to look any further! All the recipes you need to cook vegetarian tagine recipes are given in this book. These recipes will act as your guide every step of the way. Also, they’re incredibly simple and easy to follow. You simply need to stock your pantry with the required ingredients, select a recipe that strikes your fancy, and get started. By following these simple steps, you can enjoy extremely delicious and nutritious meals within no time. It’s not just your cooking game that will be elevated, but you can rest easy knowing that you are getting the daily dose of nutrients as well.

In this book, you’ll be introduced to different vegetarian tagine recipes inspired by Middle Eastern and Moroccan flavors and cuisines. These extremely flavorful and delicious meals are nutritious too. By simply changing your cooking method, you can improve your health without compromising on taste or flavor. Use these recipes when you have guests over or are tired after a long day at work. They are bound to tantalize your taste buds leaving you wanting more. Once you get into the groove of cooking with a tagine, you will not want to go back to regular pots and pans in the kitchen.

So, what are you waiting for? Are you excited to jump into the delicious world of vegetarian tagine recipes? Well, there is no time like the present to get started!

Chapter 1

Vegetable and

Fruit Tagine Recipes

Note: When placing the tagine on your stovetop, put a diffuser over the burner, and place the tagine over it. Keep opening the tagine unless you have to add ingredients to the tagine.

Baked Eggplant and Egg Tagine

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups thinly sliced bell peppers of any color

6 cups cubed eggplants

½ large onion, chopped

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon ras el hanout

½ tablespoon harissa + extra to garnish

¼ cup chopped parsley to garnish

Lemon wedges to garnish

½ cup vegetable broth

3 large eggs

Salt to taste

1/8 cup toasted pine nuts to garnish

Directions:

Pour oil into a tagine. Place bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, and onions into a bowl, sprinkle with salt and ras el hanout and toss well.

Add broth and stir. Transfer the vegetables to the tagine and spread t evenly.

Set the oven’s temperature to 300°F but do not preheat the oven.

Close the tagine lid and place it in the oven. Let it bake for about 1 ½ hours.

Stir every 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and harissa and mix well.

Make 3 cavities in the mixture. Crack an egg into each cavity. Sprinkle salt over the eggs.

Place it in the oven without the lid and bake until the whites are cooked, but the yolks are slightly runny.

Garnish with harissa, parsley, pine nuts, and lemon wedges. Serve with bread.

Bell Pepper and Eggplant Tagine

Serves: 2 – 3

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped

½ red bell pepper, cut into ½ inch wide, long strips

½ yellow bell pepper, cut into ½ inch wide, long strips

½ green bell pepper, cut into ½ inch wide, long strips

½ can (of a 14.5 ounce can) chickpeas, drained, rinsed

½ inch fresh ginger, peeled, grated

2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced

2 small eggplants (about 4 – 5 inches each), cut into 1-inch cubes

1 unsalted vegetable bouillon cube mixed with 1 cup water

½ teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon saffron

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon harissa

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Freshly ground black pepper