Chef Mohamed Alo, Executive Sous Chef at Al Najada Hotel Doha shares a popular Ramadan recipe you can try at home.

Chef Mohamed Alo - Executive Sous Chef al najadaIngredients:

  • 1200g beef cubes
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 20g chopped onions
  • 3g chopped coriander
  • 2 can chickpeas, drained
  • 2 can chopped tomatoes
  • 3½ cups vegetable stock
  • 1600g squash chunks
  • 200g pitted prunes
  • 4 tbsp toasted almond flakes

For the spice rub:

  • 2 tbsp ras el hanout spice mix (Moroccan spice blend )
  • 2 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tbsp sweet paprika
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper

Preparation:

  1. To make the spice rub, mix Ras el Hanout, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, salt and black pepper together in a small bowl
  2. Put the beef into a large bowl, massage it with the spice rub, then cover with plastic wrap or cling film and put into the refrigerator for a couple of hours, ideally overnight
  3. Add olive oil in a tagine or casserole and fry the meat over medium heat for 5 minutes
  4. Add chopped onions and coriander stalks and fry for another 5 minutes
  5. Add the chickpeas and tomatoes, then pour in 1¾ vegetable stock and stir
  6. Bring to a boil, put the lid on and reduce to a simmer for 1½ hours
  7. Add squash, prunes and the rest of the stock. Give a stir, pop the lid back on the pan and continue cooking for another 1½ hours. Add water if it looks too dry
  8. Once the time is up, take the lid off and check the consistency. If it’s a bit runny, simmer for another 5–10 minutes with the lid off. The beef should be really tender
  9. Season with salt

Tips: Add coriander (cilantro) leaves over the tagine along with the toasted almonds. Serve with lightly seasoned couscous and dive in.


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