Angela DealeMoroccan bean and vegetable tagine
Moroccan tagine, or stew, is a hearty and delicious meal that I recently discovered. It is traditionally made in a heavy clay pot called a tagine, which is how the dish got its name. Tagines are often colourful and bursting with nutrients from veggies and legumes. Most of the tagines I've made or tried feature dried fruits as well, but for this meal I left them out. Sweet potato lends its sweetness to this tagine, so I added some dried fruit to couscous as a side dish instead.
Tagine and couscous are delicious and filling; in this meatless version, you get carbs from the grains and protein from the legumes. 'Real' couscous takes very long to make, as well as special equipment. Thus, I used instant couscous, the kind that you add to boiling water, which is absorbed quickly. Everything was made easier by using the stovetop and a skillet.
Ingredients (6 servings)
Directions
Hot sauce recipe (from International Vegetarian Cookbook)
Combine 1/3 cup olive oil, 2.5 tsp cayenne pepper, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1 pressed clove of garlic (I used 2 minced cloves), and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring, over med-low heat until everything is blended.
Tagine and couscous are delicious and filling; in this meatless version, you get carbs from the grains and protein from the legumes. 'Real' couscous takes very long to make, as well as special equipment. Thus, I used instant couscous, the kind that you add to boiling water, which is absorbed quickly. Everything was made easier by using the stovetop and a skillet.
A bowl of tagine with couscous, cilantro, and hot sauce behind it
Ingredients (6 servings)
- few tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground coriander seed
- pinch cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp saffron
- 1 can 15 oz garbanzo beans (chick peas) or equivalent of dried and cooked garbanzo beans
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- hot sauce to serve
- couscous to serve
- fresh cilantro to garnish
Directions
- In a high-walled skillet or a pot, heat olive oil over medium heat, and then add the coriander, cumin, and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
- Add the onion and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
- Stir in the sweet potato and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Note: At this point, I prepared the couscous and made hot sauce (see below) for serving with the tagine. I cooked whole wheat couscous, and added to it a sprinkle of lemon juice, a dash of cinnamon, and stirred in chopped toasted pistachios, a bit of fennel, and golden raisins. - Add the tomatoes, water, lemon juice, saffron, and garbanzo beans. Stir, and then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and stir well. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
Hot sauce recipe (from International Vegetarian Cookbook)
Combine 1/3 cup olive oil, 2.5 tsp cayenne pepper, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1 pressed clove of garlic (I used 2 minced cloves), and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring, over med-low heat until everything is blended.
