Moroccan · Main Dishes

Tangia Marrakchia with Honey & Ras el Hanout

Tangia is Marrakech's own bachelor's braise: lamb sealed into a clay urn with ras el hanout, preserved lemon, garlic and a touch of honey, then handed to the neighbourhood hammam furnace man to cook for hours in the ambient heat while its owner goes about the day.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 240 min
Total: 260 min
Serves: 4
Level: Medium

Tangia Marrakchia with Honey & Ras el Hanout

Ingredients

1 kg lamb shoulder, cut into large chunks
2 tbsp ras el hanout
1 preserved lemon, rind and pulp
6 garlic cloves, whole, peeled
2 tbsp honey
100 ml olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp saffron threads
Salt and pepper

Method

1

Combine everything

Put the lamb into a tangia urn or a deep, heavy ovenproof pot along with the ras el hanout, preserved lemon, whole garlic cloves, honey, olive oil, cumin, saffron, salt and pepper.
2

Add a little liquid

Add about 150 ml water — just enough to keep things from scorching, since tangia is meant to cook in its own concentrated juices rather than a full braising liquid.
3

Seal

Cover the urn or pot tightly, traditionally with parchment tied down and a lid, to seal in the steam and aroma.
4

Cook low and very slow

Cook at a very low oven temperature, around 130–140°C, for 4 hours, or longer, until the lamb is meltingly tender and falls apart with a fork.
5

Rest

Let it rest a few minutes before opening, as the aroma that escapes on first opening is much of the point.
6

Serve

Serve directly from the urn or pot with plenty of bread to scoop up the meat and juices.

Chef's tips

Tangia rewards patience above all — a longer, gentler cook at low heat gives a better result than rushing it hotter.
Traditionally the urn is buried in the ashes of a hammam furnace overnight; a very low, slow oven is the closest home equivalent.
Use whole garlic cloves rather than crushed — they turn soft and sweet over the long cook rather than burning.

Frequently asked questions

What makes tangia different from a tagine?

Tangia is cooked sealed in a tall clay urn with very little added liquid, traditionally in the ambient heat of a hammam furnace, rather than simmered in a shallow conical tagine dish over direct heat.

Why is tangia called the bachelor's dish?

It was traditionally prepared by unmarried men in Marrakech, who would combine the ingredients in the urn at home and drop it off at the local hammam furnace to cook slowly all day while they worked.