Mrouzia (Moroccan Lamb with Honey and Raisins)

About This Recipe

Mrouzia is one of Morocco's most festive dishes, traditionally prepared during Eid al-Adha using the meat from the ritual sacrifice, cooked low and slow until the lamb becomes so tender it nearly falls off the bone. The dish leans heavily into ras el hanout, Morocco's signature spice blend of dozens of warm spices, combined with honey and raisins to create a sauce that's simultaneously savory, sweet, and deeply aromatic. Unlike many tagines that are served fairly liquid, mrouzia is cooked down until the sauce thickens into a glossy, almost caramelized coating on the meat, finished with a generous scatter of toasted almonds for crunch against the soft lamb.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kglamb shoulder or shank(cut into large pieces)
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 2onions(sliced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tspras el hanout
• 1 tspground ginger
• 1 tspcinnamon
• 2 cupswater
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 1 cupraisins
• 1/2 cuphoney
• 1 tspground cinnamon(for finishing)
• 3/4 cupwhole almonds(toasted)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the lamb

   Heat olive oil in a heavy pot and brown lamb pieces on all sides, about 10 minutes; remove and set aside.

2. 2

   Build the base

   Cook onions in the same pot until softened, then add garlic, ras el hanout, ginger and cinnamon, stirring 1 minute.

3. 3

   Braise

   Return the lamb to the pot with water and salt; bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low 90 minutes until very tender.

4. 4

   Add sweetness

   Stir in raisins and honey, then continue simmering uncovered 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.

   Stir more frequently as the sauce reduces to prevent scorching on the bottom.

5. 5

   Finish

   Dust with a little extra cinnamon and scatter with toasted almonds just before serving.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve hot with warm bread or plain couscous to soak up the rich, sweet sauce.

Variations

• •

  Some versions use dates instead of or alongside raisins for a different sweetness profile.

• •

  Beef shank can substitute for lamb, though the cooking time may need to be extended slightly.

• •

  A version with whole hard-boiled eggs added at the end is served for especially festive occasions.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; the flavor deepens considerably the next day. Reheat gently on the stove, stirring often since the sauce can stick as it warms.

Frequently Asked Questions