Moroccan Chickpea & Vegetable Couscous
For as long as I can remember I would dream of eating succulent tagines and fluffy towers of couscous in Morocco. And then one day, almost exactly a month ago that dream became a reality. In a beautiful Riad (traditional Moroccan house or palace with an interior courtyard) in Fes, I ate my first traditional Moroccan Meal – Pigeon Bastille, Chicken Tagine with preserved lemons and olives, and a Seven Vegetable Couscous. This was the start of 6 days of touring across Morocco and devouring regional Moroccan delicacies.
I steered away from touristy places and dared to eat in hole in the walls and on the street. The reward was an array of brilliant flavors and aromas that you can only find in Morocco. I learnt to appreciate the impact of other cultures on Moroccan cuisine – specifically French, Arab and Spanish influences. I loved everything I tasted including the humble staple of freshly baked bread, served with harissa at each meal and the copious cups of sweetened mint tea we consumed each day. I learnt that food was an integral part of Morocco’s culture and a lot of love and effort was put into every dish that graced a meal.
This is the reason I learnt that traditionally couscous is made on Friday afternoons. It is slow cooked (not that straight out of the box stuff) with vegetables, and meat or seafood to create a fluffy, buttery, perfectly well balanced meal. A couscous meal is Friday afternoon lunch for over 90% of Moroccans. I also realized I had never really eaten a good couscous dish until I was in Morocco. That is exactly why I needed to return home and perfect a go-to couscous recipe.
My Moroccan Chickpea and Vegetable Couscous recipe is inspired by a vegetarian couscous meal. The original meal used seven different vegetables – of which 3 are hard to find in India. So I work with vegetables I can find and added chickpeas for a vegetarian protein element.
This recipe enriches fluffy couscous with various vegetables, chickpeas, spices, and sweet raisins. Every bite presents a mixture of flavors – savory, spicy, tangy and sweet.
This recipe enriches fluffy couscous with various vegetables, chickpeas, spices, and sweet raisins. Every bite presents a mixture of flavors – savory, spicy, tangy and sweet.
This recipe may seem humble and rustic in ingredients and presentation, but let me assure you there is nothing unassuming about the magnificent flavors that you will savor in this dish.
Moroccan Chickpea & Vegetable Couscous Recipe
Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 3-4 entrée size portions
Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 3-4 entrée size portions
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon butter
1 cup red onion, peel and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 medium-large zucchini cut in ½ inch cubes
1 red pepper, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin powder
1 ¼ cup homemade or store bought low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 cups raisins
¾ cup plump red tomatoes, diced
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (See note)
1 cup whole wheat or semolina couscous
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon butter
1 cup red onion, peel and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 medium-large zucchini cut in ½ inch cubes
1 red pepper, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin powder
1 ¼ cup homemade or store bought low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 cups raisins
¾ cup plump red tomatoes, diced
1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (See note)
1 cup whole wheat or semolina couscous
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Notes:
- You can also use canned cooked chickpeas. Just make sure you wash and rinse them thoroughly.
Method:
1. In a large not stick pot (which has a tight fitting lid) heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook stirring occasionally till translucent.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook stirring until the onions turn light brown. Do not let the onions burn.
3. Add the zucchini and red pepper and cook till they are slightly tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the turmeric, chili powder and cumin and cook for a minute.
4. Add the broth and bring it up to a boil. You can cover the pot while doing this to ensure the liquid doesn’t evaporate.
5. Once the broth has reached a boil. Turn of the heat and remove the pot from the stovetop. Stir in the raisins, tomatoes, chickpeas and couscous. Cover and leave untouched for 5 minutes. The couscous will absorb all the liquid.
6. Once the couscous has absorbed all the liquid, uncover the pot and use a fork to fluff the couscous. Stir in the cilantro and serve warm.
1. In a large not stick pot (which has a tight fitting lid) heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook stirring occasionally till translucent.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook stirring until the onions turn light brown. Do not let the onions burn.
3. Add the zucchini and red pepper and cook till they are slightly tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the turmeric, chili powder and cumin and cook for a minute.
4. Add the broth and bring it up to a boil. You can cover the pot while doing this to ensure the liquid doesn’t evaporate.
5. Once the broth has reached a boil. Turn of the heat and remove the pot from the stovetop. Stir in the raisins, tomatoes, chickpeas and couscous. Cover and leave untouched for 5 minutes. The couscous will absorb all the liquid.
6. Once the couscous has absorbed all the liquid, uncover the pot and use a fork to fluff the couscous. Stir in the cilantro and serve warm.
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