VEGETABLE TAGINE WITH ALMOND AND CHICKPEA COUSCOUS
Ingredients
Vegetable Tagine:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion peeled and sliced
1 medium aubergine (eggplant) diced
2 large carrots sliced into rounds
1 red bell pepper cut into large dice
1 yellow bell pepper cut into large dice
1 small butternut squash peeled, de-seeded and cut into large dice
1 courgette (zucchini) sliced into rounds
5 cloves garlic crushed
2 Tbsp tomato purée
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp turmeric
2 Tbsp harissa paste
1 Tbsp honey/agave nectar
1 400 g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes
400 ml (1 + ⅔ cup) vegetable stock
10 dried apricots halved
small handful fresh mint finely chopped
salt and pepper
Almond And Chickpea Couscous:
300 g (10.5 oz) dried couscous
480 ml (2 cups) hot vegetable stock
1 400 g (14 oz) tin chickpeas rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp harissa paste
juice of 1 lemon
large handful toasted flaked almonds
salt and pepper
Instructions
To make the tagine, heat the olive oil in a large, wide pan over a medium heat; add the onion, aubergine, carrots, peppers, butternut squash and courgette. Cook, stirring regularly, for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables have started to soften and are lightly browned.
Add the garlic, tomato purée, coriander, cumin, cinnamon and turmeric and cook for 2 more minutes whilst stirring.
Add the harissa, honey, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and apricots. Give it a good stir then put the lid on the pan, turn the heat down to low and leave to cook gently for about 45 minutes to 1 hour until all of the vegetables have softened.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in a handful of chopped mint.
To make the couscous, place the dry couscous in a large bowl; add the vegetable stock, chickpeas and harissa and give it a stir. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave for 15 minutes.
Add the lemon juice to taste, some toasted flaked almonds and salt and pepper to taste.