The Moroccan cuisine is said to be one of the best and most evolved in the whole world. The country has been exposed to many different cultures over the centuries, and the result is a rich cuisine with many wonderful spices and colours. Tagines or tajines are slow cooked stews traditionally prepared in a special clay pot of the same name. I do not have a tagine at home so I’m using a normal pan with a lid for this dish, frying the ingredients lightly in the beginning and then letting them simmer for a while with some additional liquid.
The vegetables give quite a smooth taste with the apricot adding some delicate sweetness, which makes this tagine a perfect food even for babies. Make a pot for the whole family, and simply take out your babies portion and puree it in the blender for a few seconds until the consistency is just right for your little one. Voilà – everyone is happy!
Recipe tips
As we wanted this recipe to be suitable for the whole family, including small babies, we’ve left out stronger tasting or spicy ingredients. For an adult version, or one for bigger kids, you can spice things up by frying chopped garlic and onions with the vegetables, as well as adding a little bit of de-seeded, finely chopped red chili. Adding in a good amount of freshly ground black pepper just before serving will give the dish an another boost in flavour. For extra sweetness, add a couple of dried soft dates or prunes to your apricots when soaking.
Although not a common food allergy, cinnamon still has the potential to cause an allergic reaction. If your baby is allergic to cinnamon you will most likely see irritation and redness of the skin around the mouth. We have therefore stated cinnamon as an optional ingredient in this recipe. I have to admit though that the dish tastes five times as good with cinnamon than without it – so use it if you can!
Ingredients
3 dried apricots
100 g (1 1/4 c) aubergine, chopped
100 g (1 1/3 c) leek, chopped
150 g (1 1/3 c) zucchini, chopped
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 chicken breast
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon *optional*
1 tsp ground fresh ginger
100 ml baby stock or water
1 tbsp parsley and/or coriander leaves, chopped
Method
1. Soak apricots in water for a few hours.
2. Cut aubergine and zuchhini in small cubes.
3. Cut leak lengthwise into quarters and then chop finely.
4. Lightly fry aubergine, zucchini and leek in oil for 5-8 minutes.
5. Cut chicken breast in small cubes, fry with vegetables until white.
6. Drain apricots and chop into small pieces.
7. Add apricots, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon (if using), ginger and stock/water and cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Add parsley/coriander and stir.
8. If you are making this dish for a smaller babies, transfer the chicken tagine to a blender and pulse until desired consistency is reached (add water if necessary).
9. Serve tagine on its own or with couscous, rice or flat bread.
Preparation: 15 min (plus a few hours of soaking time) | Cooking time: 20 min | Servings: 4-6
Some ingredients i could not find in my hometown. So I tried an other simple recipe, delicious too, for apricot chicken