My friend sent me a recipe for a Moroccan dish and asked me to “veganize” it. The origianl recipe was for a slow cooker and definitalty not vegan, so I used hearty chickpeas and spent less than a half hour in the kitchen. The flavors are fantastic and this is coming from someone who doesn’t usually love cinnamon.
serves 3 to 4
1 cup cooked chickpeas (soaked overnight and cooked)
1 cup uncooked pearl couscous
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 carrot
1/2 small head of cauliflower
Grapeseed oil
1 cup plain tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 water
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
Salt
Toasted almonds, for garnish
Make chickpeas ahead of time. Cook couscous according to the package (use vegetable stock instead of water.)
Dice the onion and sauté in oil until translucent. Mince the garlic and add to the onions. Cook until fragrant. Slice the carrot and add to the pot. Cook for a few minutes. Break the cauliflower into small florets and add them into the pot. Add the tomato sauce, stock, water and seasonings. Next, add the raisins, chickpeas and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Stew on a medium flame for fifteen minutes so the flavors infuse the sauce and the cauliflower is soft. Salt to taste.
Serve over couscous and top with toasted almonds. Enjoy!