Beef Tagine in dried figs; a morrocan delight and a football match

Love me tender, love me sweet

No to racism!

This was the slogan of the campaign ad that widely circulated on french television last year triggered after numerous incidents of "racism insults" during football matches in France on colored football players. A great number of popular football players mobilised for in doing that commercial hoping to end this racism occurence. Thierry Henry, Zinadine Zidane and the likes gladly volunteered their services in that commercial ad. However,this morning as we were taking our breakfast we've learned about the latest racism incident involving a Moroccan player that was insulted by the spectators during the match in one of the key cities in France. We are not really football fanatics but the current issue called our attention. The french government was thinking of being more strict with the penalties involving such issues like one year prohibition to enter stadiums, 2 years imprisonment and thousand of euros of fine. Ouch! And guess what the insult in question was; monkey cries and gestures during the entire match. I'm pretty sure those fans were regretting so much their behaviour that got carried away with the intensity of the match. Sometimes it pays not to become too much devotee of one's team you are rallying for. Of course, I am not judging those fans because I saw how my aunties and dad would cry everytime their favorite team loses a match. But I will never understand how it works in their head :-)

Come to think of it, how ironic it could be that racism transpire on circumstances like this when sports true meaning is all about camaraderie, fairness and fun.

That day, after the news I had so much envies for morrocan food; I should say that my belly got carried away....

Beef Tajine in dried figs

1 kilo of beef cut in cubes
1 big onion slice
1 red pepper sliced
50 g of dried figs
12 tbsp of olive oil
1 tsp of curcuma
1 tsp of cayenne powder
1 tsp of cumin seeds
1 tsp of paprika
1 tsp of tomato paste
salt, pepper
one cup of beef bouillon
Chopped coriander (optional)

In a casserole, sauté the sliced onion then add up the beef. Brown a little bit all the sides of the meat. Add the pepper and all the spices. Add the dried figs, tomato paste and the bouillon. Simmer for one hour over medium fire. Serve with couscous.

"Ini, mini, myni mo..."

Don't get carried away....