A bachelor stew of tender beef slow-cooked for hours with preserved lemon, saffron, cumin, and smen in a traditional urn-shaped clay pot.
Ingredients
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1kg beef shank, cut into large chunks
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2 preserved lemons, quartered
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1/2 tsp saffron threads
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2 tsp ground cumin
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1 head garlic, cloves peeled
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2 tbsp smen or aged butter
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3 tbsp olive oil
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1 tsp salt
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1/2 tsp white pepper
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Small bunch fresh cilantro
Instructions
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1
Place beef chunks in the tangia pot or Dutch oven. Add all spices, preserved lemons, garlic, smen, and olive oil.
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2
Mix everything together by hand ensuring each piece of meat is well coated with spices and aromatics evenly.
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3
Seal the pot tightly with aluminum foil and then the lid to trap all steam inside during cooking process.
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4
Cook in a 150C oven for five to six hours, or until the beef is falling apart and sauce is concentrated.
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5
Do not open the pot during cooking. The sealed environment creates intense flavor and incredibly tender meat.
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6
Unseal at the table for dramatic effect, garnish with cilantro, and serve with warm crusty Moroccan bread.
Did You Know?
Traditionally, Marrakech bachelors would drop their tangia at the local hammam furnace in the morning and collect it cooked by evening.