Chickpeas,Raw Mango and Apricot Tagine with Couscous

I first saw a Tagine - the clay vessel as well as the eponymous dish cooked in it - on a cuisine show on TV. I was quite fascinated at the way everything was cooked together, including the meat, gently simmering till all the tender ingredients came together in a rich flavourful stew. I loved the different looking vessel called the tagine, a deep clay vessel with a conical lid which collected the condensation while cooking and it went right back into the dish.

The episode was filmed in Turkey, and this dish was being prepared in a traditional Middle Eastern household; when it was done, a boy went out to the local bakery where they had already given a loaf of bread to bake, and returned with warm freshly baked bread.
The family then sat down to a simple meal of tagine with the rustic bread. Seemed delicious.

I haven't found a tagine as yet...but I did discover along the way, that the dish could be cooked as usual or even in a slow cooker (crock pot). There are also vegetarian versions and the main thing is that most of the ingredients should cook together on a low flame for that distinctive rich stew.



Couscous is another dish seen in many Middle Eastern recipes. I have come across many articles about couscous - the correct way to cook couscous so that it remains fluffy, the fact that it is actually a kind of pasta, the different kinds of couscous. So, when I came across a packet of couscous I immediately picked it up.

Couscous goes well with tagine.....so, I looked up some tagine recipes. Many of them were with meat, and others with pumpkin and mixed vegetables. I didn't want to add pumpkin because it usually sweetens the dish - and my home lurvves spicy food!

After looking through many recipes, I came across this one on the BBC website. Which I adapted. A lot.
Tagine is definitely going to become one of my favourites because it adapts itself so well to whatever ingredient catches your fancy!

I decided to leave the squashes and pumpkins aside and go ahead with bell peppers, carrots, fresh red chillies, apricots, zucchini and raw mango. Chickpeas goes into most tagine recipes as are onions and garlic.

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans/chana) are legumes rich in dietary fiber, protein and folate and magnesium. They have been found to significantly lower levels of total and LDL ("bad") cholestrol. Their richness in folates and magnesium especially increase their efficacy in reducing risk factors involved in heart attacks. Combining chickpeas with garlic or turmeric gives added cardio protection. Combining it with a whole grain like brown rice or whole wheat pasta provides high quality protein comparable to that found in meat or dairy products, without the additional fat content of those foods. Besides lowering cholestrol and being a source of protein, its high fibre content stabilises blood sugar levels making this an ideal food for those who need to control their sugar levels.

Apricots are full of beta carotene and fiber, and this along with their high lycopene content makes them important heart healthy foods. Being rich in Vitamin A, they also protect one's eyes. Remember carrots? Add this one to that orange food list.

What came out of this mix was an incredibly rich stew with a whole gamut of flavours. It could even be served with brown rice instead of couscous, and for a one pot meal you could cook the brown rice in the tagine. I'm going to try that the next time.

The couscous was quite simple to make - I didn't have steamer to cook this in, but I used these tips, spread it on a large steel thali (plate), poured hot water over it and then covered with another thali for about 4-5 minutes. It came out perfectly done. Couscous looks deceptively light (maybe because it resembles our rava or semolina), but be warned that it is quite heavy and a little goes a long way. Couscous while being low in saturated fats and cholestrol is high in dietary fiber and carbs.Read more here.

I am sending this to the Heart of the Matter Event, a brainchild of Ilva and Joanna - this time the theme is Stews and Casseroles and it's being hosted by Michelle of The Accidental Scientist. Thanks for the date extension Michelle!


If you haven't heard of this lovely event, go over and find out more as it turns one next month. The trio of bloggers are making a superb attempt to raise our consciousness of heart healthy foods and a wholesome diet.

Chickpeas, Raw Mango and Apricot Tagine with Couscous

Ingredients:

Cooked Chickpeas - 2 cups (from a can or soaked overnight and pressure cooked till tender and peeled)
Onions - 2 medium chopped
Garlic - 2 -3 cloves minced
Cinnamon - 1 stick
Tomatoes - 3 medium chopped
Zucchini - 1 cup chopped into big pieces
Carrots - 1 small chopped
Green Bell Pepper - 1 chopped
Fresh Red chilli - 1-2 small chopped
Dried apricots - 8 chopped

Chilli powder (cayenne) - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Chopped fresh coriander or mint - half a cup chopped

500 ml vegetable stock (I used the water in which I cooked the chickpeas, already flavoured with black cardamom (moti elaichi))

Method:

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan, preferably one with a domed lid.Put in the cinnamon stick and then the chopped onions and saute till golden and soft - about 8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute for 2 minutes, next go the spice powders for about 3-4 minutes.

2. Add the apricots, saute 1 minute then pour about 4 tbsp of water into the pan, cover and cook on low for about 5-8 minutes till the apricot is soft, adding a tbsp or two of water if needed.

3. Toss in bell peppers, red chilli,carrots and tomatoes and cook on high for 3-4 minutes; then lower flame, cook covered for about 15 minutes till the tomatoes are pulpy adding a little of the stock if necessary.

4. Add the salt, chickpeas and zucchini to the pan, pour in 300ml of the vegetable stock or chickpea stock and 100 ml water and continue cooking covered for about 25 - 30 minutes on a low flame.

5. The vegetables should be well cooked but still holding their shape and the stew should have thickened a bit. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve over couscous.