ZAR - Recipe - Vegetable Tangine!!

As us Aussies head into winter, I know those of you in the UK have just had a record weekend in terms of temperature. This recipe has used winter vegies but really any can be substituted - eggplant, capsicum, beans etc.

This would be really good to make for lunches to take to work with some couscous. Freezes well but keeps for at least a week in the fridge.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
1 carrot, cut into cubes
1 large parsnip, cut into cubes
300g sweet potato, cubed
300g butternut pumpkin, cubed
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground saffron
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
2 cinnamon quills
Vegetable stock or water to cover
400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100g dried apricots
8 soft pitted dates
2 tsps honey
2 tbsp chopped coriander or flatleaf parsley
40g toasted flaked almonds

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the rest of the fresh vegetables with the tomato paste, cayenne, saffron, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon. Add water or stock to cover and bring to a gentle simmer and cook like this for 45 mins.

Stir in chickpeas, dates, apricots and honey and simmer for a further 20 mins. Season to taste.

Scatter almonds and chopped herbs on top and serve with harissa (optional) and couscous.