Ras el Hanout vegetable and chickpea tagine/stew with Baharat cauliflower couscous

For this you will need the following:

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A good lug (2-3) tbs olive oil
2 onions – thinly sliced
2 carrots – peeled and finely diced (1cm)
3 cloves of garlic – finely chopped
8-10 ‘baby’ potatoes (or small salad potatoes) – washed and halved (don’t peel them)
1 medium sweet potato – peeled and diced (2cm)
1 black lime – I can sell you these guys.
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
2 tins of chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
3 tsp of Suffolk Spice Company Ras el hanout
1 whole smokie chipotle chilli - again I stock these.
Salt and pepper

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However, this is a “what’s in the fridge/cupboard?” kind of dish so feel free to chop and change the veg and chickpeas for whatever you have to hand.

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It is very simple.

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Ideally use a big cast iron casserole dish with a heavy lid – le creuset type of thing (HA! – I wish! Mine came from Ikea.)

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Over a medium heat soften the onions in the oil until translucent. Add the garlic and the ras el hanout. Stir and coat the onions well. Cook for a further minute. Add the carrots, potatoes and sweet potato, again stir around for a couple of minutes making sure you coat everything.

Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and enough water to ensure all the ingredients are covered. ( I used about a tomato tin full, helps wash around the last of the pulp from the bottom.)

Break up the chilli roughly and add it.

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Now the black lime. You don’t have to use this however, they do make a difference. With the black ones you best method is if you have the strength, push you thumb into it. If not, just give it a gentle crack with a rolling pin.

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THE NEXT BIT IS VERY IMPORTANT!

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Pick the lime up, close your eyes and just smell it.

Breath.

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When you are done drop it into the tagine and push it under the surface with wooden spoon or such like. As it cooks it will soften.

Season well with good salt and a generous grind of black pepper.

Stir well, bring the tagine to the boil and then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, stir well and put the lid on.
It will take at least 40 minutes to cook but I leave it until the veg is tender, say an hour. Keep an eye on it, stir occasionally just to make sure it doesn’t catch the bottom, add a bit more water if needs be.

Take it off the heat, leave the lid on. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, make up some couscous, cucumber yogurt and flatbreads to serve with it or make my Baharat cauliflower couscous.

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Baharat cauliflower Couscous

For this you will need:
1 whole cauliflower – finely grated (use the grater attachment on a magimix if you have one, it makes far less mess!)
1 onion – finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic – finely chopped
A thumb sized piece of fresh ginger – finely grated
2 tsp Suffolk Spice Company Baharat powder
A good lug of Olive oil
Salt and pepper

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Optional extras:
Fresh coriander, small bunch – finely chopped
Freshly tapped out pomegranate jewels.

Blitz the cauliflower (obviously add a few florets at a time, don’t try and do the whole thing in the machine at once!) – can you tell I used to be a teacher?

Add the ginger, combine well.

Heat the oil in a large fry pan over a medium heat and add the onion, soften until translucent and golden (saute) but not browned.
Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, breath!
Add the Baharat and combine well for 30 seconds, breath some more!
Add the cauliflower mix and combine all the ingredients well in the pan, I use a silicon spatula to do this, it gets all the best bits together.
Gently fry the couscous for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
Season well
Add a splash of water, stir once more and then take of the heat and cover the pan with a lid or tin foil until you are ready to serve.
Just before you serve, scatter the freshly chopped coriander across the top and if you want to get really carried away, fresh pomegranate jewels.
Serve the tagine stew in a hollow of the couscous.