Tajine paste

Origins and History of Tajine Paste

Morocco: The Land of Tajine Paste!

Of Maghrebi origin, tajine refers to the terracotta dish topped with a conical lid in which the delicious tajines simmer. These peasant dishes mix meats or fish, raz-el-hanout, and sweet-savory flavors. With prunes, dates, raisins, preserved lemons, or even olives, they come in endless varieties!
It's difficult to determine with precision the country of origin of these delights. What's certain is that they have spread to several places in the Maghreb thanks to the diffusion of tajine dishes, probably via nomads. Meat, fruits, available spices, and above all, the spirit of conviviality have done the rest. Each cook generally has at least 2 tajine dishes: one for cooking, and one for serving, more ornate.

Using Tajine Paste

Easy to use even for the uninitiated, this paste is ready to use! Thanks to its composition: olive oil and a perfectly selected and dosed spice blend (15 spices mainly including: coriander, cumin, ginger, niora spices, and turmeric), it's easy to add an exotic touch to homemade tajines. Its warm flavors reveal themselves in long-simmered dishes and are traditionally used during festivities.
In Fez, as everywhere else in Morocco, Tajine is a dish that comes in endless variations: meat tajine, fish tajine, vegetable tajine, green tajine (beans, peas, zucchini, fava beans...).

The Unmissable Recipe for Tajine Paste...

Tajine and Tajine Paste... In all simplicity...
Marinate a few pieces of lamb shoulder in tajine paste (be generous). Let it rest in the refrigerator for an hour. Sauté onions and add the lamb pieces. Sear then simmer over medium heat. Add dates, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with finely chopped coriander and previously toasted slivered almonds.
... And there you go!