Meat with Prunes

Ingredients

• 1 kg lamb or beef (shoulder, shank, or neck, cut into large pieces)

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 3 tbsp olive oil (or a mix of olive oil and smen/preserved butter)

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick)

• ½ tsp ground turmeric or a few saffron threads (soaked in warm water)

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)

• 1 small bunch parsley and cilantro, tied together

• 1 cup water or light broth

For the prunes:

• 300 g (about 2 cups) pitted prunes

• 2 tbsp honey

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tbsp sugar (optional, for extra sweetness)

• 1 tbsp butter

For garnish:

• ½ cup blanched almonds, fried or roasted until golden

• Sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

• Prepare the meat

  • In a heavy pot or tagine, heat olive oil.

  • Add onions and garlic, sauté until soft.

  • Add meat pieces and brown lightly on all sides.

  • Stir in ginger, cinnamon, turmeric/saffron, pepper, and salt.

  • Add parsley/cilantro bundle and water. Cover and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until meat is tender. Add more water if needed.

• Cook the prunes

  • In a small saucepan, place prunes with a little water.

  • Add honey, cinnamon, sugar (if using), and butter.

  • Simmer gently for 10–15 minutes until prunes are soft and coated in a syrupy sauce.

• Assemble the dish

  • Remove the parsley/cilantro bundle from the meat.

  • Place meat on a large serving dish, spooning onion sauce over it.

  • Arrange prunes on top, drizzling their syrup over the meat.

  • Garnish with fried almonds and sesame seeds.

• Serve

  • Serve hot with Moroccan bread (khobz) to soak up the sauce.