Vegetable Tagine

Ingredients

Vegetables:

1 onion (diced)

2 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced)

1 carrot (diced)

2 ripe tomatoes

1 red pepper (diced)

1 green pepper (diced)

4 sticks of asparagus (sliced diagonally)

cup of broccoli (bite size pieces)

1 large red chilli (thinly sliced)

(You can choose, other vegetables such as aubergine, pumpkin, green beans, cauliflower, etc. Try to get a good mix of colours!)

Optional vegetables added towards the end of cooking:

Cup of chick peas (canned is ok but better to use dried, soaked overnight and cooked for an hour),

Cup of sweet corn (canned)

Cup of frozen peas

Spices:

1 tsp cumin seeds,

1 tsp smoked paprika,

1 cinnamon stick,

Quarter of a whole nutmeg freshly grated,

1 tsp turmeric

Black pepper

Other ingredients:

Salt,

Pinch of brown sugar,

Couscous,

Cup of herbs fresh chopped (choose a combination from coriander, parsley and mint)

Vegetable stock (about 1 litre)

Olive oil (3 -4 tsps)

Method

1. Fry the harder vegetables (onion, asparagus, and carrot ) with the cumin seeds for a few minutes in olive oil until starting to turn golden. (Use a tagine or a heavy saucepan with a lid)
2. Add the softer vegetables: peppers, garlic, broccoli, tomatoes and chilli and continue to fry for 2 more minutes
3. Add stock, turmeric, paprika, nutmeg and cinnamon. Simmer covered for 10 minutes.
4. Add some stock to the couscous, just enough to cover it.  Add a dash of olive oil, stir with a fork and set aside.
5. Add the optional vegetables (sweet corn, green peas, chick peas), sugar, salt and pepper (add more stock if needed). Cook for another 5 minutes.
6. Serve the vegetables in bowls, topped with the herbs and with couscous and harissa on the side.

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