(Serves 4 -6)
One can’t go to North Africa without being educated in the incredible array of fresh spices on offer from every street vendor you pass. With the idea of perfectly flavoured meats and spiced couscous in mind, it’s tempting to cart home copious amounts of ceramic tagines and bags full of cheap, fresh and earthy spices to recreate this delicious cuisine for yourself.
As a bit of a compromise, here is a recipe for a Moroccan Lamb Taklia, tried and tested on the edges of the Sahara. It has a wonderful depth of flavour and can be prepared in around 30 minutes, then simmer away for a couple of hours while you dream of a hammock in the desert. Don’t be afraid of the amount of spices used, this is how to achieve the honest, North African Taklia flavour.