Cauliflower and Chickpea Tagine
I have really been into Moroccan meals lately. Mostly because I really enjoy cooking in a tagine. Yes I still have not given the tagine back to our friends, but I will soon and get one of my own! I think I just enjoy it because it’s so quick and easy. You just throw all your ingredients in there and put the lid on and leave it alone for 20 -30 minutes and it comes out perfect and so flavourful every time.
I am not an expert on Moroccan cooking by any means, I generally stick to three different tagines and have only been cooking them up more often now that I have an actual tagine dish! I used to struggle away in a normal pot for a lentil one that I used to make. I am not going back now! You can find the recipe for the last tagine I made here https://talidavoinea.au/mixed-vegetable-tagine-with-apricots-and-dates/
This time round I decided I would have liked a little more protein so I settled for this chickpea and cauliflower dish that I adapted and veganized from the same cookbook I used last time ” Vegetarian Tagines & Couscous by Ghillie Basan” and it was even easier to make than the last one! It was warm and hearty but light at the same time. I should stress that I added double the amount of tomatoes that I was supposed to because I love tomatoes ( too much) so unfortunately my dish turned out a lot more red in colour than I wanted it do, but I have no regrets! it was amazing! We ate it with a little bit of brown rice and some naan bread we picked up from our Indian take away store down the road. No its not the healthiest of breads ( I wish they would do a whole wheat version) but super yummy and the cook book said that this particular tagine is usually served with bits of traditional bread. I have no idea what traditional Moroccan bread is like, but it looks very much like naan bread in the pictures so we got some! I usually have my own healthier naan type bread in the freezer ready to go every time we have a home made curry or soup but I had run out and I don’t know, I just love bread! so I had to have some! and I felt like the dish wouldn’t be complete without it! I will share a couple of recipes for my home made naan breads on the blog soon.
I have recently stumbled across an article that lists 28 science backed health benefits of cauliflower. I need it as a reminder to myself since I don’t eat enough cauliflower. Truth be told, you probably wont find too many recipes on my blog like “cauliflower rice” or “cauliflower pizza base” which I know have been trending for a while because even though I enjoy cauliflower more than I used to as a child, it is still not my favourite and the taste does really stand out to me. I do however love cauliflower in a tagine or curry, so that is how I use it and eat it.. hence this recipe! This article has inspired me to try get more cauliflower into my diet! https://www.well-beingsecrets.com/cauliflower-health-benefits/
Hope you enjoy the recipe.
| Cauliflower and Chickpea Tagine | Print |
- 1-2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion coarsely chopped
- 1 clove garlic - crushed
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp coconut sugar
- 1 can chickpeas
- ½ cauliflower trimmed into small florets
- ½ cup water
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp moroccan seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- Bunch of parsley roughly chopped
- ½ preserved lemon finely chopped *
- Heat your oil at the base of your tagine dish ( or saucepan if not using a tagine)
- Add your onion and fry off for 2-3 minutes until softened
- Add crushed garlic, coriander seeds and coconut sugar and cook for another 2-3 minutes
- Add your chickpeas and cauliflower florets and moroccan seasoning. Toss well to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper as you go
- Add can of tomatoes and ½ cup water ( or just enough water to cover the florets, it may be more or less depending on your dish)
- Bring liquid to boil, reduce heat and cover with lid. Let simmer covered for 20 minutes until the cauliflower is tender
- Toss in half your parsley and your chopped preserved lemon and let cook for another 5 minutes
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper
- Garnish with extra parsley and serve with brown rice, flat bread or couscous.
- * you can use the juice of 1 lemon instead of preserved lemon if you can not find it but will not be as sweet.
