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Sekai Gohan
Tangia Recipe: Marrakech's Slow-Cooked Lamb Pot, Made in a Home Kitchen
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Role & judgment |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb shoulder, bone-in or boneless | 2 lb (900 g) | In 2 inches (5 cm) cubes. Do not trim off too much fat |
| Garlic | 5 cloves, about 1.5 oz (40 g) | Crushed to release the aroma |
| Preserved lemon rind | 1.5 oz (40 g) | Flesh removed, only the rind cut into thin strips |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | Binds the bottom of the pot and the cooking liquid |
| Ground cumin | 2 tsp | Adds aroma to the lamb fat |
| Ground ginger | 1 tsp | Adds depth. Optional |
| White or black pepper | 1/2 tsp | Choose it for aroma over heat |
| Saffron | 0.1–0.2 g | Soaked in 2 tbsp warm water |
| Unsalted butter or smen | 15 g | Adds richness. Optional |
| Salt | 1/2–1 tsp | Adjust for the saltiness of the preserved lemon |
| Water | 2 cups (450 ml) | Enough to reach about halfway up the meat |
| Flat-leaf parsley | a little | For serving. Optional |
Steps
1Prep the aromatics and lamb
20 min
Cut the preserved lemon rind into thin strips and crush the garlic with the flat of a knife. Put the saffron in 2 tbsp warm water for 10 minutes, and loosen it lightly with a fingertip or mortar. Cut the lamb shoulder into 2 inches (5 cm) cubes, leaving the fat and bones.
No heat is used. If many salt crystals remain on the preserved lemon rind, rinse briefly and wipe dry. Do not discard the saffron water; use it to the end. It is enough when the saffron has broken into fine powder and the water has turned yellow. Even out the thickness of the meat, but do not leave it out of the refrigerator at room temperature for long. Do not reuse the cutting board or knife that handled raw meat on other ingredients.
2Layer the ingredients in the pot
15 min
Put the olive oil in a heavy pot, then add the lamb, garlic, preserved lemon, cumin, ginger, pepper, unsalted butter and salt in that order. Pour in the saffron water and 2 cups (450 ml) water so that the liquid reaches about halfway up the meat. Close the lid and check that no gap lets steam escape from the pot's edge.
No heat is used. Not searing the meat here is the point of tangia. There is no need to mix the ingredients evenly. Once the lid is on, you are ready when the liquid reaches halfway up the meat and moisture remains on the bottom. If the lid is light, double a layer of aluminum foil before setting the lid on. Do not reproduce the traditional method of fixing the lid with paper and string in a home oven. Earthenware without a heatproof label and decorative jars cannot be used.
3Cook low and slow
5–6 hours
Put the pot in an oven preheated to 212°F (100°C) and cook for 6 hours. If your home oven cannot be set to 212°F (100°C), use 250°F (120°C) for 5–5 1/2 hours. Only once, after 3 hours have passed, check whether liquid remains at the bottom.
Heat is low. If small bubbles rise from the pot now and then and clear fat floats around the meat, it is going well. Do not open the lid in the first 3 hours. If you cannot see liquid from the bottom of the meat, add ½ cup (100 ml) hot water and put the lid back. If loud boiling continues, lower the temperature by 10°C; do not solve dryness with high heat.
4Rest the meat and reduce the liquid
15 min
Take out the pot and move the meat to a plate. Move only the cooking liquid to a small pan and reduce over medium heat for 5–10 minutes until the volume is about two thirds. Check that the liquid thinly coats the back of a spatula and that a fork goes into the meat without resistance.
Heat is medium to none. If the liquid is salty, add water 1 tbsp at a time; if thin, reduce 2 more minutes at a time. For whole cuts of meat, rest for 3 minutes after the center reaches 145°F (63°C). If children, older people, pregnant women or people with weakened immunity will eat it, cook to 167°F (75°C) at the center for at least 1 minute instead. If in doubt, put the lid back and cook 10 more minutes.
5Plate: liquid first, then meat
10 min
Pour a little of the cooking liquid onto a warmed plate and pile the lamb on top. Spoon the remaining liquid over the meat and scatter a little flat-leaf parsley. Serve with a flatbread like Moroccan khobz or unsalted baguette.
Spreading the liquid on the plate first makes a place for the bread to catch it. The fat tends to set as the liquid cools, so warm the plate with hot water. Couscous can go alongside, but for the first plate use bread only and notice in what order the lamb fat, preserved lemon and saffron remain.