"This is how the world grills" North Africa: Braising in the fire

Ancient cooking technique
The tajine has been known since around the eighth century. It is mentioned in the tales of 1001 Nights, among others, but also by chroniclers from the corresponding period. It is one of the cooking devices that developed from the need to be able to use food as completely as possible and to use as little energy as possible. And this energy was of course provided by wood or charcoal fires in the past, which is why it is a definite cooking utensil for the outdoor kitchen and ultimately for the grill. Even today, it is often heated traditionally in its countries of origin, which can be seen, for example, at the street food stalls in cities such as Marrakesh. At the very latest, it becomes clear that the tajine is not a relic from bygone times, but is still an elementary part of Maghreb and Middle Eastern cuisine. There are reasons for this, because like many other old methods of preparation, cooking in the tajine has proven itself over the centuries. It is therefore worth taking a closer look at how it works.

braising pan
The traditional tagine is made of clay pottery, either glazed or unglazed. More modern versions can also be made entirely of cast iron or at least the base. These are the examples developed in Europe that can be bought in well-stocked household goods stores in this country. For the classic version, you have to look in shops or online stores that specialize in specialties from the African continent or the Arab world. Regardless of the material, the functional principle is always the same: the liquid that escapes in the form of steam during cooking condenses almost completely on the lid due to its special shape and runs back into the pan. This means that even long cooking times are possible without adding more liquid. This is also an important aspect in countries where water was and is a scarce resource. To reinforce this effect, tagines have a recess at the highest point of the lid that can be filled with water. This provides additional cooling and better condensation. In addition, most of the time the food is prepared at low temperatures, which ultimately uses less fuel.

The courts
The dishes prepared in a tagine are also called tajine. However, what is prepared in it varies from country to country. A classic recipe in the Qidra (Kidra, Qidreh) style is mentioned very often. This is a traditional stew from Palestine, the basis of which is clarified butter. The meat used here is chicken. In contrast, the Moroccan variant (Muqawlli) uses ingredients marinated in olive oil, and the meat is typically lamb. However, Moroccan and Algerian cuisine are very broad in terms of their tagine recipes. Fish, meat, vegetables - basically everything is prepared in the casserole dish. A central element is always the broth, which practically prepares itself while cooking. This is not least why bread is a typical accompaniment to tagines.

Practical use
If you want to cook with a tagine here, you don't have to spend a lot of money or put in a lot of effort. Ceramic tagines start at around 30 euros, and cast iron ones start at 70 to 80 euros. Models from manufacturers such as LeCreuset or Staub are significantly more expensive, but you don't necessarily have to invest that much money. Whether you choose a glazed or unglazed version of a ceramic tagine is a matter of taste. Without glaze, a beautiful patina develops over time, but with glaze, the cooking device is easier to clean. With ceramic tagines, however, you need to be a little careful when heating them. Too high temperatures in too short a time will cause the material to crack. With unglazed models, you can force the slow heating by first placing the pan in water for an hour. High temperatures are actually only necessary at the beginning, to give the ingredients some roasted aromas. This also works in ceramic pots, but cast iron has certain advantages. And after frying, the process continues in the same way as we know it from home-made stews: liquid is added and the whole thing simmers over a low heat. A kind of gentle steaming then takes place with very even heat all around. The whole process is a cooking process that can be carried out very well on the grill - it is especially fun on a charcoal grill.