Moroccan · Main course
Douara (Aïd Offal & Tripe Tagine)
Douara is the thrifty, deeply savoury Aïd el-Kebir tagine that uses the whole pluck — tripe, heart, lung, intestine and a little liver — cleaned meticulously, diced small and simmered with tomato, garlic, cumin and lots of parsley until rich and tender. It is the day-two dish that honours the principle of wasting nothing from the sacrificed animal.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 120 min
- Total
- 180 min
- Serves
- 5
- Level
- Advanced
Ingredients
- 1 kg mixed lamb offal (tripe, heart, lung, a little liver), cleaned
- 3 tomatoes, grated
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large bunch parsley and coriander, chopped
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- 1
Clean thoroughly
Scrub and rinse the tripe and offal repeatedly with salt and vinegar until spotless and odour-free, then cut into small, even dice.
- 2
Parboil the tough parts
Boil the tripe and heart 30 minutes to start tenderising, adding the softer lung and liver only for the last 10 minutes, then drain.
- 3
Build the sauce
Warm the oil in the tagine, cook the onion and garlic, add cumin, paprika, cayenne and grated tomato and reduce to a thick base.
- 4
Simmer together
Add the parboiled offal, half the herbs, salt, pepper and a little water, cover and simmer gently for about an hour until everything is tender.
- 5
Finish with herbs
Uncover to reduce the sauce, fold through the remaining herbs and serve hot with bread.
Chef's tips
- Cleaning is everything with offal — take your time with salt, vinegar and repeated rinses until there is no smell.
- Cut everything small and uniform so the mixed textures cook evenly into one cohesive tagine.
- A big handful of fresh parsley at the end lifts the richness and is characteristic of douara.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I buy the offal?
At Aïd it comes from your own animal; otherwise a good halal butcher can supply cleaned lamb tripe and pluck. Ask for it pre-cleaned to save considerable work.
Can I make a milder version?
Yes; leave out the cayenne and lean more on tripe and heart, which are milder than lung and liver, for a gentler-tasting tagine.