This Baby Potato and Jackfruit Tagine is excerpted from Noha’s cookbook ‘The Vegan Middle Eastern’. Noha Elbadry-Cloud is the recipe creator, writer, and photographer behind @leeksnbeets on Instagram. Noha enjoys crafting recipes focused on showcasing the beauty of whole food plant-based eating, often with a Middle Eastern twist. In addition, she loves sharing quick, easy and delicious vegan meals in short videos. Her work has been featured in Vegan Bowls’ cookbook Simple Swaps and on the Vegan Bowls website. It has also been featured on the Instagram accounts for the feedfeedvegan, THRIVE magazine, Best of Vegan and Pop Sugar.
Table of Contents
Moroccan-Inspired Jackfruit Tagine
The classic Moroccan chicken tagine falls somewhere between being a stew and a curry. This vegetable-forward version is hearty, thanks to the warm spices in the Ras el Hanout, but it’s also very fresh and zesty, thanks to the olives and preserved lemons. As a substitute for chicken, I chose jackfruit for its meatiness and baby potatoes for their creaminess. I also added dried apricots, a staple in Moroccan cuisine, but not typically used in this recipe, for a hint of sweetness.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Tagine
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Ginger
- Cilantro
- Ras el Hanout
- Saffron
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Jackfruit
- Baby potatoes
- Lemons
- Olives
- Green olives
- Apricots
- Sea salt
- White pepper (optional)
- Lemon juice
To Serve
- Pomegranate arils
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Cooked couscous or other cooked grain
- Pita bread
How To Make This Baby Potato and Jackfruit Tagine
Step 1: Prep and Sauté Aromatic Spice Blend
In a food processor, combine the garlic, shallots, ginger, cilantro, Ras el Hanout, and saffron. Pulse it a few times, until finely chopped, but not pureed. The mixture should be coarse.
Heat the olive oil in a tagine or a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Once the oil is shimmery and crackling, add the mixture and fry, stirring it every now and then to prevent sticking, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly golden.
Step 2: Cooking Jackfruit and Potatoes
Add the jackfruit and baby potatoes and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden at the edges. Add 1¼ cups (295 ml) of water and stir, making sure to scrape any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
Add the preserved lemons, olives, and apricots. Stir, cover, turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until most of the water has been absorbed and the potatoes are fork tender.
Step 3: Finishing Touches and Serving
Add the salt and pepper (if using), mix well, and cook for 1 minute. Remove the tagine from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve topped with pomegranate arils and parsley with a side of couscous and/or pita bread.
Baby Potato and Jackfruit Tagine – Recipe Card
Baby Potato and Jackfruit Tagine
Ingredients
For the Tagine
- 4 medium cloves garlic - peeled
- 2 medium shallots - peeled and halved
- 2 tbsp 12 g grated fresh ginger
- 1 cup 8 g fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
- 1½ tbsp 12 g Ras el Hanout(see Note)
- ½ tsp saffron
- 3 tbsp 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 20-oz [585-g] cans of young green jackfruit in brine, drained then sliced into thin strips
- 1½ lb 680 g baby potatoes, halved
- 2 medium preserved lemons - pulp removed, and rind thinly sliced
- 12 medium kalamata olives - pitted and halved
- 10 medium green olives - pitted and halved
- ¼ cup 48 g dried apricots, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp white pepper - optional
- 2 tbsp 30 ml lemon juice
To Serve
- Pomegranate arils
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Cooked couscous or other cooked grain
- Pita bread
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the garlic, shallots, ginger, cilantro, Ras el Hanout, and saffron. Pulse it a few times, until finely chopped, but not pureed. The mixture should be coarse.
- Heat the olive oil in a tagine or a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat. Once the oil is shimmery and crackling, add the mixture and fry, stirring it every now and then to prevent sticking, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the garlic is lightly golden.
- Add the jackfruit and baby potatoes and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden at the edges. Add 1¼ cups (295 ml) of water and stir, making sure to scrape any brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the preserved lemons, olives, and apricots. Stir, cover, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until most of the water has been absorbed and the potatoes are fork tender.
- Add the salt and pepper (if using), mix well and cook for 1 minute. Remove the tagine from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Serve topped with pomegranate arils and parsley with a side of couscous and/or pita bread
Notes
Reprinted with permission from The Vegan Middle Eastern Cookbook by Noha Elbadry – Cloud. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Noha Elbadry – Cloud.
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About The Cookbook
Unlock a whole new realm of plant-based cooking as you celebrate the rich, vibrant flavors and traditional ingredients that make Middle Eastern fare so diverse and delicious. From Noha Elbadry-Cloud, creator of the popular food account @leeksnbeets, comes the ultimate guide to cooking perfectly veganized meals from this vast, enthralling region.
This collection of 60 mouthwatering recipes is filled with iconic basics like The Best Ever Pita Bread, magnificent mains like Baby Potato and Jackfruit Tagine, and Beef-Style Seitan Shawarma Wraps with sumptuous sides like Baba Ghanouj. And with delectable desserts like Walnut Pecan Baklava and Basbousa, there’s something here for every taste and occasion. So what are you waiting for? Embark on an inspiring culinary journey through the flavors of the Middle East, all while staying true to your vegan lifestyle.
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