Play it one time, Sam. For erstwhile times' sake.

Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) and Sam (Dooley Wilson)in  Casablanca  (Michael Curtiz 1942)

Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman) and Sam (Dooley Wilson)

in Casablanca   (Michael Curtiz 1942)

Over the years I have cooked with a variety of different nationalities and ethnic groups. The Malays in Brunei and Malaysia, Chinese in Malaysia and Singapore, Indian, Pakistani and Iranians in Dubai. I have cooked in Bali, Nigeria, all over the Middle Due east and some North Africa, and likewise N America and naturally Europe.

And, NO …. as the intro may suggest, I never cooked in Morocco. Never even been in that location. Non even shut. Only, I have watched the motion-picture show more than a few times.

PLAY IT Once, SAM. FOR OLD TIMES' SAKE.

It withal rings in my ears, this phrase. I have no idea what romanticism it is that brings information technology back. I have never been to Casablanca. Not fifty-fifty close.

I have received a Tajine pot the other day. And this is what image comes to my mind:

Tajine

Souks, markets, people, exotic flavours and scents, like the open-air boutique on Jemaa el Fna Foursquare, perhaps the all-time-known allure in Marrakech, Kingdom of morocco'south second largest city. I never never been to Marrakech. Non even close.

… the version of Arlequin Café

But I dreamt most it. I have envisioned and I did smell the spices and pickles of Arabia and the Orient. I have been to many a souk in my life, and one of the attractions Ever are the spices, the colours, the tickle in the nose, when you walk through the tight passages.

This amazing image was taken by Jiří Dokoupil

The beginning affair I imagine is a pot. A hot cooking pot with something astonishing cooking away. Meat, chicken, fish, shrimps or but near annihilation that would fit in a pot. So, here I was, with my Tajine, direct from Morocco, and my dreams.

Tajine

A tajine, or tagine, is a Berber dish from Due north Africa, that is named afterwards the special earthenware pot in which it is cooked. The traditional tajine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay, which is sometimes painted or glazed. Information technology consists of two parts: a base unit that is flat and round with depression sides, and a large cone or dome-shaped cover that sits on the base during cooking. The encompass is so designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the embrace removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving.

Chefthomas Tajine

Moroccan tajines combine lamb or chicken with olives, quinces, apples, pears, apricots, raisins, prunes, dates, nuts, with fresh or preserved lemons, with or without dearest, with or without a complexity of spices. Traditional spices that are used to flavour tajines include footing cinnamon, saffron, ginger, turmeric, cumin, paprika, pepper, as well as the famous spice alloy ras el hanout. Turkey meat is besides sometimes used.[2] Some famous tajine dishes are mqualli or mshermel (both are pairings of chicken, olives and citrus fruits, though preparation methods differ), kefta (meatballs in an egg and tomato sauce), and mrouzia (lamb, raisins and almonds).

Chefthomas-tajine

No, I will not provide a recipe at this bespeak. Do your research. Accept fun reading through as many tajin-recipes as you can stand up, and make up your own mind on how you would desire to cook this chicken, lamb, fish or meat. Go crazy with the flavours. Pickled lemons, saffron, green olives are Not to be left out. Be as adventurous as you tin stand up, and add a niggling more than.

I did serve my chicken-tajine with saffron-rice with a chopped onion and some zereshk (barberries), it's a scrap Iranian, only because I am not a particular fan of couscous. But hey, if couscous is what you fancy, then become for it. Or even ameliorate, have it with some Barbari-bread (Iranian Bread).

Chefthomas-tajine

The only thing now, is to enjoy your your principal piece. Take your fourth dimension and enjoy it. Best done with friends and family unit around …. of course …. but you already knew that.

Bi Siha Wa Aafia