Here's How To Cook A Tagine Dish Without A Tagine

It's probably safe to say there aren't many people outside of North Africa who have a tagine, the clay or ceramic pot used to cook the aromatic meat and vegetable stew of the same name. Perhaps it's because they didn't want to drag the delicate pot all the way home from the medina in Marrakesh, or maybe they weren't sure how to store the round pot with its tall conical cover in their cupboard. Whatever the reason, these home cooks don't need to worry, as all you need is a pot with a tight lid.

The tagines' unique design dates to the nomadic Berbers of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, their light clay material making it easy to pick them up and carry them from place to place. They could be used to cook in either clay ovens or over charcoal bricks. The ingredients used for tagine-style stews — meat, a medley of vegetables, aromatic spices like ginger, nuts, and dried fruit — simmer at a low temperature in the round bottom part of the tagine. The conical dome allowed the desert-dwelling Berbers to use as little water as possible during cooking. The lid traps steam from the dish as it rises, allowing the moisture to drip back into the dish and braise the stew in its own juices. Luckily, a pot like a Dutch oven can work in much the same way.  

While a Dutch oven often has a deeper base and a shallow oval top, it can mimic the tagine because of its tight-fitting lid. Similarly, any pot with a firm sealing lid will fit the bill as a substitute. Why? The most important thing is for the steam to be trapped in the pot, bathing the stew or braising meat with moisture. 

If you're currently shopping around for the right pot, a Dutch oven like the Mueller Dutch Oven or a covered cast iron casserole both work well and can be used to cook the stew in the oven. If you want to stick with the original, Kamsah makes a traditional tagine you can buy, saving you a trip to the Moroccan souk. Just keep in mind that your tagine can crack on your stovetop, so you'll need to place a heat diffuser (a flat metal plate with holes) under the pot. No matter what medium you go with, cooking an authentic tagine meal will open you up to the many fantastic flavors of North African cuisine.