Once upon a time Tanjia

Traditional dish of Moroccan cuisine

Born storytellers, the men of Marrakech have turned the only dish they officially agree to prepare, into a treasure trove of flavors and stories. There are many tales about the origins of Tanjia. Basking in the sweet aroma of mystery that surrounds this dish, we might summarize the situation like this: when a man at odds with his wife or hurried workers decide to cook, things get serious.

They throw meat and a bunch of spices into a clay jar, which they carefully seal. Off it goes to a local hammam, where they ask to use the embers to slowly cook their concoction. After 8 hours, they return to pick it up. That's how the Tanjia was supposedly born, and here's the most traditional recipe.

Recipe for four people

1.5 kg of beef shank
1 preserved lemon
½ glass of olive oil
½ glass of oil
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of turmeric
4 crushed garlic cloves
4 whole garlic cloves
1 teaspoon of smen (rancid butter)
1 teaspoon of ras el hanout
½ teaspoon of pure saffron
½ teaspoon of salt
1 glass of water (300ml)

Mix the ingredients in a container and let marinate for 15 minutes. Put everything in a clay jar, add water, cover with aluminum foil, tie up and bake in a very low-heated oven for three to five hours.

To wrap up this appetizing article, if you take away only one thing about this gem of Moroccan culinary art, it's that more than its origin, more than its recipe, the strength of this delicious dish lies in the unyielding spirit of community it brings forth. Tanjia is an eternal tribute to friendship and sharing. Our charming gentlemen could not have concocted a better recipe to embody the legendary hospitality of the people of Marrakech forever.