Why would you put french fries on top of chicken? In the U.S., I had only ever eaten french fries as a side dish with ketchup...now here in Morocco, they were placed on top of my chicken! Actually, there was a gravy at the bottom of the tagine, with all the spices and onions used to cook the chicken. I have to say: some chicken plus gravy plus french fries turned out to be really, really good!
Tagine is easy to prepare. First, you put the onions in the tagine pot. Then, you add the meat. After, if adding vegetables, you layer the vegetables by first placing the ones that take the longest to cook at the bottom. On top, you add the oil and spices. The spices include salt, pepper, ginger, cumin, saffron and turmeric. Finally, you place the tagine on the stovetop of on a charcoal fire and it cooks for a while. Periodically, you add water until the meat in tender.
Tagine is connected to the environment because it is a dish to share with others. Moroccans are very hospitable and they like to eat among friends and family. Typically, a large tagine is prepared when family or friends come together. Everyone sits around the tagine and eats straight from the dish. No separate plates! It is respectful to stay within your section. Every person has their own "slice of the pie" or "slice of the tagine" as we could say!
