Spiced Chick Peas & Vegetables for Couscous

Clockwise from left: cooked chick peas, spring onions, zucchini, red onions, carrots, garlic, store-bought vegetable stock cube

I wrote about a Couscous Paella more than two months back. In my post, I wrote that the Couscous preparation in itself was not tasty enough, so I served the leftovers with a spicy preparation. I also promised then that I'd blog about 'that' preparation soon. I think, I forgot to mention that for me 'soon' can mean anything between two days and two months. :)

Anyway, here's the recipe for that spicy preparation. It is based on one from this German cookbook. Before I start: I have used the vegetables that you can see in the picture above. However, you can use many others in addition to or instead of these. eg. green cabbage, leeks, celery (stems as well as roots), broccoli. I used the ones that I did because I did not want to repeat the vegetables used for Couscous Paella. (Although I ended up repeating carrots. But then, some extra carotene would do no harm, would it? :))

Recipe for Spiced Chick Peas & Vegetables for Couscous

Serves 4. (As an accompaniment to Couscous or rice)

Ingredients:

1 can cooked chick peas (drained weight 240 g.)
2 large zucchini, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
1 cup sliced spring onion (white as well as green parts)
1 tsp concentrated tomato paste or 1 small tomato, chopped

1 vegetable stock cube
1-2 cloves of garlic, grated
salt & pepper to taste

2 tsp olive oil
½ tsp cumin seeds

Method:

1. Prepare vegetable stock using the cube and according to the instructions on the package.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Sauté the diced onion in it for about two minutes.
3. Add all vegetables apart from tomato pieces/paste. Sauté them for about 5 minutes. Then add tomato pieces/paste.
4. After a few seconds, add the prepared vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Add cumin seeds, grated garlic, salt and pepper.
6. Reduce heat, cover the pan and let the vegetables cook for about 10 minutes.

Veggie goodness in a pot :)

7. When the vegetables are almost cooked, drain the cooked chick peas from the can and add to the vegetables.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning before turning the heat off.

Serve steaming hot with warm Couscous Paella or with plain cooked Couscous. Goes well with cooked rice too.

Couscous Paella and Spiced Chick Peas & Veggies garnished with orange bell pepper fans

With so many vegetables in it, I am sure, 'sweet' Cate will accept this post as my entry to her ARF/5-a-day Tuesday.

Tags: Couscous , Cous Cous , Moroccan food , chick peas , vegetables , seasoning cube