Tagine
A tagine is used in Moroccan culture to prepare a meal of the same name, generally consisting of a lamb or chicken based dish, in which the meat is cooked, by being slowly stewed over a long period of time - to the point of such tenderness that the cooked meat can literally fall off the bone when prepared.
There are many different varieties of tagine, consisting of two peices, a cone shaped top, sometimes with a breathing hole, and a wide, flat base with raised sides.  The top part of the tagine is shaped in such a way as to circulate hot steam sufficiently and evenly, and slowly steaming the meat.
Tagines come in two main types, for serving or cooking - serving tagines are often lavishly decorated, but cannot be used to heat the food.  Cooking tagines usually tend to be somewhat more plain looking - a basic terracotta coloured glazed clay.
 Emile Henry 32cm 25ltr Olive Green Tagine Cookware £62.99 |
 The Curry Sauce Co Fresh Sauces Moroccan Tagine £3.50 |
 Emile Henry Tagine 25cm 11ltr Flame Red £40.00 |
 Emile Henry 32cm 25ltr Flame Tagine Red Rouge £62.99 |
 Set Of 4 Hand Painted Ceramic Bowl Tagine Tajine Style £9.99 |
 Set Of 6 Brand New Mini Traditional Tajine Tagine £14.90 |
 Casseroles From Tagine To Coq Au Vin Sonia Stevenson £11.70 |
 Moroccan Decorative Tagine £10.00 |
 Moroccan Cooking Tagine £5.00 |
 Tagine From Lakeland £5.19 |
 Emile Henry Tagine Black £40.00 |
 Tagine £7.99 |
 Set Of 6 Hand Painted Ceramic Bowl Tagine Tajine Style £9.99 |
 Tagine £8.78 |
 Tagine 9781845974787 New £7.88 |
 Tagine Ghillie Basan £13.94 |
 Heat Diffuser Simmer Ring For Tagine Etc Tj003 £.99 |
 Tagine Basan Ghilli New Book £8.98 |
 Moroccan Pottery Spice Tagine £4.50 |
 Tagine And Recipe Book £.99 |
 Emile Henry Flame Tagine 35cm 35ltr Sel Blue Grey £72.50 |
 Emile Henry Flame Tagine 35cm 35ltr Noir Black £72.50 |
 Traditional 33cm Tajine Tagine Serves 6 Tj002 £14.99 |
 Emile Henry Flame Tagine 25cm 11ltr Noir £42.00 |
 Nigella Lawson Tagine Black Medium 2l Casserole £69.00 |
 Authentic Extra Large Moroccan Tagine 35cm Clearance £25.00 |
 Emile Henry Flame Tagine 32cm 25l Green Olive £62.99 |
 Emile Henry 25cm 11ltr Flame Tagine Red Rouge £42.99 |
 Tagine Book | Ghillie Basan New Hb 1845974786 Btr £6.48 |
 Tagine Spicy Stews From Morocco Book | Ghillie Basan £14.13 |
 Emile Henry Flame Tagine 35cm 35ltr Rouge £72.50 |
 Tagine Spicy Stews From Morocco Basan Ghillie Brigda £11.38 |
 ˜…le Creuset★ Moroccan Tagine ˜…cast Iron ˜… Teal ˜… £20.00 |
 Moroccan Spice Ras El Hanout Tajine 80g £1.10 |
 Moroccan Tajine £8.50 |
 Moroccan Tajine £14.50 |
 Moroccan Spice Ras El Hanout Tajine 200g Seal Packet £2.35 |
Set Of 4 Hand Painted Ceramic Bowl Tagine Tajine Style £9.99 |
Set Of 6 Brand New Mini Traditional Tajine Tagine £14.90 |
 Moroccan Spice Ras El Hanout Tajine Couscous 80g £1.10 |
Set Of 6 Hand Painted Ceramic Bowl Tagine Tajine Style £9.99 |
Traditional 33cm Tajine Tagine Serves 6 Tj002 £14.99 |
 Maxwell Williams Microstoven Red N S Tajine 30cm £35.00 |
 Maxwell Williams Microstoven Black N S Tajine 30cm £35.00 |
 Handpainted Double Handmade Tagine Tajinemorocco £10.88 |
 Handpainted Brown Double Handmade Tagine Tajinemorocco £10.88 |
 Yellow Handmade Sculptured Tagine Tajine Morocco £32.01 |
 Yellow Handmade Sculptured Tagine Tajine Platemorocco £12.80 |
 Mediterraneanblue Handmade Tagine Tajine Morocco £17.28 |
 Maxwell Williams Black Tajine Rrpâ£79 Now £4995 New £49.95 |
 Maxwell Williams Red Tajine Rrpâ£79 Now £4995 New £49.95 |
 33cm Tajine Tagine Serves 6 Heat Diffuser Tj002 £38.99 |
 Tefal Electric Moroccan Tajine393981 Brand New £59.99 |
Traditionally, tagines were heated over cindering coals placed in a "Majmar", this allowed the heat to warm the base of the tagine evenly. This makes things a little difficult when using traditional tagines in the modern home kitchen, as direct heat from the stove or hob will inevatably crack the earthenware.
This issue can be solved by using a heat distributor (or simmer ring as sometimes known) - this sits between the hob and the tagine, preventing the direct heat from shattering the tagine. Brand new tagines need to be "sealed" which can further prevent cracking. This involves soaking the pot in water for around half an hour, coating the base and lid with olive oil and baking from cold for a set amount of time.
Alternatively, todays manufacturers have introduced a range of tagines mad with special materials, or even a metal, which allows heating simular to that of a saucepan, directly on the hob (to be honest though, you could never get that pure earthenware flavour that is so unique to tagine dishes - it always seems better to go through the extra effort of using traditional cooking tagines).
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