In brief
- Kefta tajine is a Moroccan dish of spiced ground meat meatballs, simmered in a tomato sauce, then poached with eggs
- Origin: Morocco
- Key ingredients: ground meat, onion, garlic, tomatoes, cumin, paprika, eggs
- A simmered dish, served straight from the tajine, with bread
Origins and cultural history of kefta tajine
Kefta tajine, sometimes called tajine kefta bid maticha (meatballs, eggs, tomatoes) or kefta mkaouara, adapts the principle of the Moroccan tajine using spiced ground meat meatballs instead of a whole piece of meat. Like lamb tajine, it takes its name from the earthenware dish with a conical lid that gives it its slow, covered cooking, a technique of Berber origin developed in the mountainous regions of North Africa.
The meatballs, simmered in a spiced tomato sauce, are poached at the end of cooking with eggs cracked directly into the dish, for immediate serving, straight from the tajine, with bread.
What are the key ingredients of kefta tajine
Making kefta tajine relies on spiced ground meat and a tomato sauce flavoured with the same spices, and NKOSI sells the spices and the tomato paste for it.
- ground meat (beef or lamb)
- onion and garlic
- tomatoes
- cumin
- paprika
- ginger
- eggs
What to know about kefta tajine
Kefta tajine is a Moroccan dish of meatballs of minced meat, beef or lamb, with onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and ginger. The meatballs simmer for about 15 minutes, covered, in a tomato sauce flavoured with the same spices, then eggs are cracked straight into the dish and poached. It is cooked in a clay tajine with a conical lid, or in a deep sauté pan or casserole with a heavy base and a lid. It is served right away, straight from the dish, with bread.
Frequently asked questions about kefta tajine
Does kefta tajine have to be made in an earthenware dish?
No: a sauté pan or a thick-bottomed pot with a lid also works. The traditional earthenware dish nonetheless retains steam better and concentrates the flavours more during the slow, covered cooking, as with lamb tajine.
How can you tell the meatballs are properly cooked?
Allow about 15 minutes of covered simmering in the sauce before breaking the eggs on top: the ground meat must be fully cooked through, with no pink left, before serving. Cut a meatball in half to check if needed.
Where can you find the ingredients for kefta tajine in France?
NKOSI sells the cumin, paprika and ginger for this recipe on nkosiagro.com and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
