This recipe works just as well with chicken and/or a selection of vegetables. The apricots are a big part of this tagine – so try and get the organic ones that have not been sulphur dried. They will be a dark colour and not bright orange. Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
Base
- olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 large brown onion (200g) chopped 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
- 1⁄2 cup blanched almonds
- 1 cup dried apricots
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 1⁄2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- Fresh coriander to serve
Chicken
- 1kg chicken thigh and breast meat, cut into cubes
- 1 cup plain yoghurt 1 tbsp minced garlic pepper
Or vegetables
- 3 large potatoes, cubed
- 2 large carrots diced
- 1 eggplant, cubed
- handful of green beans, halved 1 small fennel bulb, sliced
METHOD
- Marinate the chicken in the yoghurt and garlic for a couple of hours.
- Heat some oil in a large frypan and add the garlic, onion and spices. Fry gently for about 5 minutes, making sure they don’t burn.
- Add chicken (excess yoghurt removed) and/or vegetables and almonds – and brown, uncovered for another 5 minutes.
- Place in the slow cooker with the apricots, honey and stock.
- Give a good stir to mix, then cook for 6 – 8 hours on low, stirring occasionally.
- To finish you can thicken the sauce with a tablespoon of cornflour mixed with some of the cooking liquid.
- Optional: If you want an extra nutty flavour you can add about 1⁄2 cup of ground almonds to the pot half an hour before serving.
- Sprinkle with a generous amount of coriander and serve with steamed couscous.
Photo Credit: David Lyons