Description
A hearty and flavorful Moroccan chickpea stew featuring aromatic spices, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and olives, perfect for a warming vegan and gluten-free meal served over couscous or quinoa.
Ingredients
Scale
Stew Ingredients
- 2 tbsp / 30 ml olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 shallots, finely chopped
- 5 cups peeled and diced tomatoes OR 2 x 400 g / 14 oz tins of tomatoes
- 3 tsp baharat spice
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ¼-½ tsp cayenne pepper or hot chilli powder, adjust to taste
- ¾ tsp salt, adjust to taste
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 1 medium sweet potato (300 g / 0.65 lb), cubed
- 2 tbsp dried barberries or blackcurrants
- 10 black Kalamata olives, pitted
Toppings and Serving
- a handful of almonds, sliced
- fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- cooked couscous or quinoa, to serve with
Instructions
- Toast almonds: Chop almonds diagonally. Put a small frying pan on medium heat and dry roast almonds until lightly browned and fragrant, moving them frequently to avoid burning.
- Cook shallots: Heat the oil in a large frying pan with a lid on low heat. Add chopped shallots and fry until almost translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Add garlic: Stir in the chopped garlic and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the shallots are fully translucent and the garlic softens and releases aroma.
- Add spices: Mix in the baharat, paprika, and cayenne or chili powder. Stir and gently fry the spices for 1-2 minutes, taking care not to burn them.
- Incorporate tomato paste: Add tomato paste and stir well to combine with the shallot and garlic mixture.
- Add tomatoes, sweet potato, salt, and sugar: Pour in the chopped tomatoes, add cubed sweet potatoes, salt, and half of the brown sugar. Cover with the lid and simmer gently for about 12 minutes, allowing sweet potatoes to cook through.
- Thicken sauce: Remove the lid and let the sauce simmer slowly to thicken, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Season the stew: Taste the sauce and season with black pepper and more brown sugar if needed for balanced flavor.
- Add chickpeas, olives, and dried fruit: Stir cooked chickpeas, Kalamata olives, and dried barberries or blackcurrants into the stew. Warm through gently.
- Serve: Serve the stew hot over cooked couscous or quinoa, topped with toasted almonds and chopped fresh parsley, if using.
Notes
- Moroccan chickpea stew is a delicious, easy-to-make vegan and gluten-free meal perfect for weekdays or post-exercise recovery.
- Adjust the cayenne or chili according to your preferred spice level.
- Using dried barberries gives an authentic tart flavor but blackcurrants are a good substitute if unavailable.
- Almonds are toasted separately to add crunch and a nutty aroma as a final topping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 418
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 582 mg
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
