In celebration of the International Year of Pulses, Simon Bryant (celebrity chef) has kindly provided us with some recipe inspiration on how to make a chickpea tagine!
Serves 10
Lamb
1 boned-out lamb shoulder diced
500 ml chicken stock
100 g dried kabuli chickpeas, soaked overnight
300 g mograbiah (large couscous, or just use normal couscous)
6 to 9 waxy spuds
1 lemon, juiced
120 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 brown onions chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch saffron threads
1 preserved lemon, pith and flesh removed sliced finely
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp sea salt and coarsely cracked black pepper to taste
½ cup coriander leaves and stems, roughly chopped
⅓ cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
100 g toasted almond, chopped
Harissa
4 to 6 red small chillies with seeds
2 grilled red capsicums in oil
1 clove garlic
2 tsp coriander seeds roasted
1 tsp cumin seeds
A dribble of olive oil
½ tsp salt
Method
- Discard the chickpea soaking water and place in a pot with clean water. The less water you use the quicker the chickpeas will cook so cover by an inch or so and top up during the cooking if necessary. Put onto a medium flame and bring up to a simmer, cook until soft to the bite (about an hour), drain and set aside at room temperature.
- Preheat a heavy based casserole or fry pan (or a tagine if you have one) over a medium heat. Add remaining olive oil, sauté onions and garlic until soft. Add cinnamon, coriander and cumin and sauté for a minute to coat the spices. Add lamb dice, season with salt and pepper and seal/brown all sides well for 10 or so minutes. Add spuds and chickpeas, preserved lemon, bay leaves and saffron. Top up with 500 ml of chicken stock. Place a lid on and simmer over a low heat for about an hour and a half until lamb soft and sauce thick.
- Blend all ingredients for harissa into a smooth paste in a food processor. Set aside.
- Place the mograbiah in a 100°C oven to warm through and then place on plates.
- Place 2 litres of salted water over a high flame; once boiling add the couscous and cook for 20 or so mins or until tender to the bite. Drain, place in a large bowl and splash with a table spoon of the olive oil to prevent clumping and set aside.
- When the lamb is cooked, spoon on top of the mograbiah and top with chopped herbs and crushed almonds. Spoon the harissa over the top.
This recipe was kindly provided by Simon Bryant and the image is by Jacqui Way Photography.