Soup is soupy; a stew is thicker but still may need to be served in a bowl. Then there's tagine, and though it is classified as a stew, you can serve this on a plate, and it won't run off. A mistake many makes is adding too much liquid to this recipe. Basically, tagine steams itself and browns for that wonderful caramelized taste. The advantage of having an authentic tagine is that the shape of the lid allows escaping steam to condense and drip down back into the stew.