Vegetable & Chickpea Tagine

📝 Ingredients

• 3 tins chickpeas (795 g drained)
• 5 carrots (about 500 g)
• 2 courgettes (about 500 g)
• 1 medium butternut squash (about 800 g peeled and deseeded)
• 2 onions (about 300 g) + 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 100 g dried apricots + 1 tbsp honey
• 30 g flaked almonds
• 3 tbsp olive oil (2 for the vegetables, 1 for the couscous)
• 360 g medium-grain couscous + 400 ml boiling water
• 1 vegetable stock cube + 500 ml hot water
• 2 tsp ras el hanout + 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Large casserole dish or tagine
• Mixing bowl
• Peeler
• Knife and chopping board
• Small frying pan
• Fork

📖 Steps

1. Peel the carrots and the butternut squash. Cut the carrots into 4 cm lengths, the squash into 3 cm cubes after removing the seeds, and the courgettes into thick 4 cm chunks. Slice the onions, chop the garlic and rinse the chickpeas.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in the casserole over a medium heat and fry the onions for 5 min, until translucent. Add the garlic, ras el hanout and cinnamon, then stir for 1 min, just until the spices smell fragrant.
3. Add the carrots and squash and coat them well in the spices. Pour in the chopped tomatoes and the stock cube dissolved in the hot water, season lightly with salt and add pepper. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook for 15 min over a low heat.
4. Add the courgettes, chickpeas, halved dried apricots and honey. Stir gently, cover and cook for a further 15 to 20 min over a low heat, until the squash is meltingly tender but still holds its shape.
5. Meanwhile, tip the couscous into the mixing bowl with 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt, and rub it between your hands. Pour over the boiling water, cover with a plate and leave to swell for 5 min, then fluff up with a fork.
6. Toast the flaked almonds in the small dry frying pan for 2 to 3 min over a medium heat, stirring constantly: they go from golden to burnt very quickly, so don't walk away.
7. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning: it should be slightly sweet and savoury, and thick enough to coat the vegetables. If it's too thin, cook for 5 min uncovered. Serve the tagine on the couscous, sprinkled with the toasted almonds.