Lamb and prune tagine (mrouzia)
One of Morocco's great sweet-savory dishes: lamb simmered slowly with prunes, cinnamon, and honey until it turns almost jammy, finished with a scattering of golden fried almonds. This home-style version is a simplified take on mrouzia (m'rouzia), the festive tagine traditionally prepared for Eid al-Adha with leftover mutton from the sacrifice. Grander versions lean on ras el hanout and saffron, but everyday home cooking often pares the spicing down to cinnamon alone, as it is here.
Ingredients
Instructions
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and just starting to color.
Place the lamb on top of the onions, add the cinnamon stick and turmeric, and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the water, cover, and cook for about 1 hour.
Add the prunes, lower the heat, and continue cooking, covered, for another 30 minutes.
Stir in the honey and ground cinnamon. Cook uncovered for 15 more minutes, so the sauce reduces and thickens slightly.
Meanwhile, heat a skillet over high heat with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté the almonds, stirring constantly, until golden, then drain on paper towels.
Just before serving, remove and discard the cinnamon stick and scatter the fried almonds over the top. Serve very hot, ideally straight from the tagine.
Notes
The prunes should be soft enough to fall apart slightly into the sauce by the end of cooking — if they're on the firmer side, a few extra minutes of simmering helps. Bone-in lamb shoulder gives the best flavor and the richest sauce, though boneless works fine if that's easier to find. The almonds are best fried just before serving, so they stay crisp against the soft lamb and fruit.
Variations
For a version closer to the traditional festive mrouzia, swap the cinnamon and turmeric for a spoonful of ras el hanout and a pinch of saffron threads, and add a handful of golden raisins along with the prunes.
Dried apricots make a good substitute or addition for a brighter, less dense sweetness than prunes alone.
Source
Mrouzia is one of the signature dishes of Moroccan celebration cooking, traditionally prepared around Eid al-Adha to make use of mutton from the sacrifice — the long, slow cooking with dried fruit and spice was originally as much a preservation technique as a flavor one, letting the meat keep for days afterward. Honey and warm spice cut through the richness of the lamb, while the almonds add a contrasting crunch.
This simplified, everyday version keeps the same sweet, dark, deeply savory spirit, without the full festive spice blend of saffron and ras el hanout reserved for the holiday table.