Chickpea Tagine

This Moroccan-inspired dish makes a delicious vegetarian dinner.

Tagine refers to both the food and the vessel used for cooking, so for an authentic look and taste, cook the recipe in a tagine - but if you don’t have one, a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid works well!

Ingredients

420 grams canned chickpeas
20 ml (4 tsp) vegetable oil
30 ml (2 Tsp) olive oil
2 onions
5 cloves garlic
1.5 litres vegetable stock
3 grams mixed herbs
½ pkt prunes
Pinch of chilli flakes
2.5 grams paprika
2 capsicum (red and orange), thick slices
700 gram jar tomato passata
5 grams sugar
500 grams couscous
Bunch of coriander
Natural or Greek yoghurt

Method

Pour the chickpeas into a bowl and wash well, then strain.

Cut the capsicums into thick slices and set aside.

Finely dice the onions and garlic.

Pour the oil into the tagine or saucepan and place over medium heat.

Add the onions and garlic and, stirring regularly, cook until the onions are browned. Make sure the garlic is fragrant but not burnt.

Add the chickpeas and capsicums.

Add 1 litre of the vegetable stock, stir and cover.

Allow to cook for 20 minutes.

Stir in the mixed herbs, chilli and paprika.

Cook for a further 20 minutess.

Stir in the tomato passata.

Add the prunes and sugar.

Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.

While the chickpea mixture simmers, to another saucepan add the remaining 500 ml of stock and bring to the boil.

Stir in the olive oil.

Stir in the couscous.

Immediately remove from the heat, cover with a lid and allow to stand for five to ten minutes, until the couscous has absorbed the liquid.

Stir the couscous with a fork to make it light and fluffy.