Stews

Instant Pot Cheat Rogan Josh

September 8, 2017 4 Comments

School is back in session. FINALLY. My kids have been out of school since Memorial Day and didn’t go back until half a week before Labor Day. Talk about a long summer vacay. I mean epic summer break- between changing schools and cities, we’re never doing THAT again. But now it’s done and I can get back to some sort of a regular work flow. Which means making and posting about more yummies like lamb rogan josh in our new home.

New home? Yes, new home. Boston. remember the Chicago—> Boston move ✈ we had coming up? It’s done and we are *almost* settled into our new home, with the exception of a few boxes here and there. I’m still missing some equipment and some photo boards, but they’ll be in said boxes- I’m 2,000% sure. But we’re not talking about moving and unpacking and all things boxes. I’m in my happy place right now, DND pls and thank you. Today, we’re talking about rogan josh.

Rogan josh?

Rogan josh!

Rogan josh is a traditional kashmiri curry made with lamb and roasted kashmiri chilies, milder in spice than cayenne pepper or traditional red chili powder. I first became obsessed with it after having it at a neighborhood indian restaurant when The Mister and I had an apartment in Chicago, before most of the little humans were born. We’d have it every. single. week. But I was too intimidated to attempt a homemade version, with all the complex flavors that lingered for so long after. Because lamb is a very underrated ingredient, reserved for restaurant settings or parties. It also takes time to become melt-in-your-mouth tender.

But what if I told you that I can have those same results on a weeknight, in the Instant Pot, in 40 minutes from start to finish? This is exactly why I call this version of rogan josh a “cheat” recipe. I like to set it in the Instant Pot, let it come to pressure once I’ve prepped all the ingredients, and de-pressure naturally while I do things like prep school/work lunches, chase the tiniest humans around the house as they play with something they managed to find but shouldn’t be playing with, and help solve those dreaded fraction problems. All in a day’s work, my friend.

The masala mix: Don’t let the list of spices scare you. I promise, it’ll be worth it. The recipe for the spice mix makes 5-6 tablespoons. You can store it and have it on hand for a few other times. Your own customized rogan josh spice mix. And then you can drop it into the conversation, like a boss: “So I was toasting the spices for my rogan josh spice mix…” Now you’ve become the cool kid in your inner circle who toasts her own spices. You’re welcome!

Did I mention, it makes your house smell ah-mazing? The Mister walked in through the door, inhaled deeply and said “ZZZOMG! What is the incredible smell????” In fact, the mailman, when he delivered a package yesterday, said the SAME THING! ? Yeah, the mailman and I have become BFFs because superawesome delivery service much?

This spice mix has magical powers. Also, once you gather the ingredients, it’s easy-peasy to toast and grind. That’s it. You’re toasting and grinding. on your way to 5-minutes to masala magic. You have got it together, girlfriend. The kids are in school, John Legend is blaring and you’re singin’ along at the top of your lungs. No? Just me? However you toast, DO NOT let the whole spices burn or scorch or the rogan josh will taste bitter. If you end up burning, toss the spices and start over. Trust me. I’ve tried using burned spices before in an attempt to be frugal and had to scrap the entire dish.

If grinding the masala is too much commitment for you, don’t give up on making rogan josh. You’ll hate yourself for missing out. I heard that Penzey’s makes a rogan josh mix. I personally haven’t tried it but if you try it, make it, smell it, tell me how it is!

The sauce: The masala, combined with the lamb, simmering fills the house with a fragrance that tells your stomach beautiful stories of what’s to come for dinner. It’s a seductive flirtation between your stomach and the Instant Pot.This sauce is inhale worthy, with hints of smokiness, bits of sweet, cooked onions, combined with a little (or a lot) of heat that builds up over time. You can customize the spice level by adding more or less of the masala to the lamb. As written in the recipe, the masala is perfect for my family but we tend to love spice and spice is my life. Feel free to cut back to half the amount and leave out the black pepper and garam masala at the end of you prefer milder flavors.

Most rogan josh recipes also use yogurt in the base but I’m fresh off a round of whole30 and wanted to keep it compliant so I subbed full fat coconut milk in place of the yogurt. This is also a great, dairy-free alternative for people with lactose intolerance. If you still choose to use yogurt, add it one tablespoon at a time, at the very end of the cooking process, on low heat, so the yogurt doesn’t curdle. If you like more creamy and mild dishes, chicken tikka masala is more up your alley. But if you want complex, comforting spicier curry, then keep reading.

Instant Pot vs. stovetop: It’s up to you. I’m not the person who refuses to turn on the stove now that I have an Instant Pot. If you can be that person, more power to you. I appreciate things like cheesecake in the oven and eggs boiled stovetop. I will, however, take shortcuts to simplify meal prep, like soup in the Instant Pot or making lamb rogan josh in a fraction of the time, without losing flavor. Just build in time for the food to come pressure and then for the natural release of pressure at the end.

I couldn’t have timed this rogan josh better even if I tried. The New England air is starting to turn crisp in the evenings and right on schedule, everyone is pumpkin spicing all of the things ?. I’ll take a little (or a lot) of fun fall activities, all day, everyday of the year. And this stew-like dish is autumn warmth in your belly, served over a bed of rice, cauliflower rice, or naan. Rogan josh+fleece throw+Netflix will be exactly where you’ll find me this fall and winter, because GOT fans, winter is indeed coming but we are prepared.

Instant Pot Cheat Rogan Josh

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 40 mins
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp avocado oil/vegetable oil
1 1/2– 2 lbs boneless lamb, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp or less rogan josh masala (recipe below)
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
1/2 water
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (optional)
1 tsp garam masala (optional)
Rogan Josh masala mix*:
10 cardamom
2 cinnamon sticks
12 cloves
1/2 tsp fennugreek seeds
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp cayanne
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
pinch of saffron (optional)

Instructions

Make the masala: In a medium skillet, add the whole spices (cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, fenugreek seeds) and toast until they become fragrant. Be careful not to let the spices burn or scorch. If they do, throw away the entire batch and start over. Pour into a coffee grinder or spice grinder along with coriander powder, turmeric, cayenne, paprika, and saffron. Grind to a fine powder and set aside in a container with a tight fitting lid.
Make the sauce: On the saute setting, heat oil in Instant Pot and add onions. Cook until light brown, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook another 3 minutes. Add lamb and rogan josh masala mix and salt. Stir to coat lamb with spices. Add water.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure the pressure valve is set to seal. Set the Instant Pot to manual pressure for 20 minutes and let come to pressure. Let the pressure release naturally or for at least 10 mins before releasing the vent.
Set the Instant Pot to saute on high and stir in coconut milk. Bring to a boil and let reduce to desired consistency. Stir in garam masala and black pepper if additional spice is desired. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with rice and/or naan.

Notes

*This recipe makes enough to use now and store for later. I store mine in a mason jar with a tight fitting lid in a cool, dry place, with the rest of my spices. For optimum freshness, I recommend using the masala mix within 3 months of grinding.

Homestyle Game-Day Chili

January 26, 2016 2 Comments

Chili may be the most versatile food known to humans. Think about it: it can go on pasta, fries, chips, hot dogs, cornbread, pizza (yes, yes, such a thing exists even if only in my mind). Did I mention the toppings?! Oh my, the toppings ON TOP of what the chili goes on are endless; guac, cheese, sour cream, crushed tortilla chips, oyster crackers, etc… the possibilities are endless. I think at some point I’ve even had chili with over eggs. And everyone and I mean EVERYONE has a go to recipe they swear by. Lets face it, chili is the (un)official food of football, by which I mean American football. I am no exception to that rule.

Which brings me to the strong sell on why my chili is simply the best, knock-your-socks-off chili ever. You see, my chili looks unassuming but looks can be quite deceptive. My chili is packed with a ton of vegetables, lean protein, heat, and one very special ingredient: cocoa. Mmmmhhmmmm, I said cocoa. No, not the melt-in-your-mouth-milk-chocolate. I’m talking about the cocoa you use to make the chocolate candy. The rich cocoa powder works brilliantly with the heat from the spicy elements in the chili. It melts into the chili, gives it a nice, deep, dark, maroonish color and a depth of a flavor I have yet to find in anything that even comes close to that of cocoa.

Since I’ve been trying to eat better, ya know, like a grown-up should, I’m always looking for ways to add vegetables anywhere I can. And chili is the perfect way to deliver a ton of vegetables, without highlighting it for picky eaters. Some of my brood are picky eaters but they will eat chili with tons and cheese and chips, and vegetables! Shhhh, don’t tell them! All is fair when it comes to feeding the little humans. Lately, I’ve been geeking out over a homemade, outrageously low calorie and low fat salad dressing I’ve been working on. Plus I’ve renewed my love for my caramelized onion and pepper salad with chickpeas. Here’s the miraculous part: my kids are shocked now if I don’t give them salad with their meals. And truthfully, they eat most of it if not all of it. Hey, get creative and serve chili on top of your salad.

Anyway, so the chili starts off with a lot of hearty, bright, fun vegetables like peppers, onions and celery. You can’t help but smile when you look at all the pretty colors. C’mon try to not smile, I know you can’t resist the urge.

The long cooking time may be off-putting to a lot of people, but really, all you’re doing after the initial prep work is letting the chili simmer on very low heat, while the flavors deepen. It’s really doesn’t need much babysitting. If you would prefer to not even worry about stirring occasionally, just throw it into a slow cooker on the lowest setting. I’ve let it simmer up to 8 hours and it makes for the best chili. It’s a great thing to prep the night before and add to the slow cooker in the morning. And think about it, when you come home, dinner is ready to go! How lovely is that?!

Chili night is a lot of fun at my house. I have a smorgasbord of toppings. I don’t think I’ve introduced you to the cast of characters in the manna & spice household.

My oldest, who will be eight next month, The Bookworm and always carries a book with her, is a purist. She prefers her chili with cheese and a lot of tortilla chips. Little Diva, the spunky five year old girl, loves to use the chili as a dip with Fritos and oodles of melty cheese- or if we have hot dogs, she piles it on into the bun and eats the hot dog by itself- her love of carbs makes me so proud. Baby Bear, the three year old who randomly growls (since birth, true story), loves anything covered in cheese and sour cream, which he proceeds to lick off his finger. Amazing what qualifies as a utensil when you are three years old. Mr. Bean, the one and half year old underdog who’s ultrasound pictures reminded me of a kidney bean, loves rice more than he loves anything else in this world and has chili and rice, mixed with cheese. And of course, The Mister, who is the other half of our parental unit, loves variety and will eat chili in every form imaginable. Then you have me; like The Bookworm, I prefer just a touch of cheese and sliced green onions, sometimes a few chips. So there you have all six of us!

Helpful tips:

when chopping the vegetables, keep them uniform in size. This way, they will all cook at the same rate and evenly. I start cooking with the onions, so they have a chance to soften and really flavor the pot itself. Then add the celery, cook for a few minutes, and then the peppers. Finally, add the garlic. Adding the garlic in as the last vegetable ensures that it will coat the rest of the vegetables and won’t burn as quickly as it would otherwise.
add the cocoa powder in the last 20-25 minutes of cooking. If you add it too far in advance, it has a tendency to burn, and impart a bitter flavor. And remember, a little goes a long way.
The longer you cook the chili, the more the flavors will develop. Just cover with a lid and simmer on the lowest setting and, as it cooks, the color and flavor of the chili will get deeper and stronger.

So what are you waiting for?! Get cooking!

Homestyle Game Day Chili

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 mins
Yield: 8-10 1x

Scale

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 15.5 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 medium onions, chopped
3 medium bell peppers (any color combination), chopped
2–3 celery ribs, chopped
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
1 tsp ground black pepper
2–3 bay leaves
4 cups water
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pot with lid on medium high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent but not brown. Add celery and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add bell peppers and garlic. Stir in salt and cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and coat vegetables. Add ground beef and cook until the beef is browned, 5 minutes.
Add paprika, chili powder, crushed red pepper, oregano, cumin, and black pepper. Slowly add 1 cup of water and scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck bits of meat or vegetables. Add diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, beans and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Reduce heat and cover and let simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for at least 1 hour.
In the last 20-25 minutes of simmering, stir in cocoa powder.
Remove from heat, discard bay leaves and serve with toppings of choice

Lightened Up Chicken Gumbo

January 13, 2016 2 Comments

Guys, something happened last night that changed my world forever. I made the most EARTH SHATTERING gumbo. Not just any ole’ gumbo; I’m talkin’ eyes-growing-wider-with-every-bite-I-want-to-eat-this-forever-and-ever kinda gumbo. YES! It was that fantastic. I’m salivating just thinking about it. It’s a flavor explosion in a bowl. A thick, spicy, tangy sauce is the perfect base to cradle juicy pieces of sausage, tender morsels of chicken, plump shrimp. All surrounded by tiny pieces of sweet onions, celery, green pepper and okra, the star of the show. As a result of being simmered on low heat, the vegetables develop a sweetness that complements the fiery sauce and meat. It is THE ULTIMATE stew.

You know how else I know it was good? My lovely offspring were 100% quiet for the entire 5 minutes it took them to inhale this stuff, breaking the silence to ask for seconds. Okay, really that NEVER happens. At least 1 out of 4 children always has to complain or refuse to eat dinner. No, a 7, 5, 3, and 1 year old all devoured it in minutes, without a single complaint. And you know what else? the 5 year old’s first question this morning, as soon as she got out of bed, was “Can I PUHHHHH-LEASSSSEEE have gumbo for lunch? I promise I’ll be extra good!”

No, seriously, that actually happened.

I deeply love cajun food. I love gumbo, jambalaya, beignets, crawfish etouffee …you name it, I love it. It deepened when I first saw Disney’s The Princess and the Frog. I’m dead serious. The way the characters talk about gumbo and prep the vegetables, I was hooked. Then, when the animated form is served, it looks incredible so I could only imagine the real stuff being nothing short of delectable! That movie pretty much sealed the deal for me. I live in the absolute wrong place; I should be living in New Orleans!

Any time I’m at a cajun restaurant, I look at the gumbo longingly. Because you see, my family doesn’t eat pork and gumbo almost always has andouille sausage, which is made from pork. Over the years, I have had to experiment and come up with an alternative. I’ve got one word for you: soujuk.

What is this soujuk, you ask? Soujuk is a turkish sausage make of lamb and/or beef and uses similar spices to that of andouille sausage. Most middle eastern grocery stores carry them. I have at least two in my freezer at any given time because I end up making A LOT of cajun food. It comes in hot and mild; the hot can be pretty spicy so if you don’t do well with spice, opt for the mild. If you’ve never worked with this kind of sausage before, it comes stuffed in a waxy, paper casing- you have to cut it off before slicing the sausage.

The key to great gumbo is to get the roux right. Roux is the quintessential component of gumbo. Roux is flour that is cooked in fat, sometimes just to cook away the “raw” taste of flour, while other times, it is slowly cooked until it turns a deep brown color. Normally, for gumbo you have to babysit the roux, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, cooking on very low heat, until it turns into a deep, rich, nutty brown. It’s a lot of work and requires a lot of fat. My method is a lot easier and also omits the need for an entire cup of oil, without taking away from the flavor. Imagine that, so many calories slashed!

I toast all-purpose flour in a 400 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, until the flour becomes a deep, nutty brown. And your kitchen will fill with this wonderful aroma. Toasted flour is not only a great alternative for a healthier roux, you can use it in baked goods too. It gives a deep, nutty flavor that regular flour can’t compete with. Try it the next time you bake!

Gumbo seems like an intimidating dish. I worked myself up to gumbo because it seemed so tedious and a ‘professional chef grade’ dish. Let me stop you right there and tell you it is neither; anyone can make gumbo. There are some complicated recipes out there for making gumbo but I’ve really simplified the process. If you follow my directions, you will end up with a meal that LOOKS gourmet and good enough for company but without that much actual work for you!

A few suggestions to simplify the process:

*use a dutch oven, if you have one. You will need to simmer the gumbo on very low heat and a dutch oven, or a heavy bottomed pot with a lid, cooks evenly and keeps the heat trapped in the pot. If you don’t have a dutch oven, use the heaviest bottomed pot you have. Make sure it has a lid.

*don’t skip toasting the flour; it will take an average dish from satisfactory to amazing and gourmet. You NEED to have toasted flour to make the roux for gumbo.

*add the shrimp at the very end of the cooking process. I have seen way too much overcooked shrimp ruin dishes and it is very unappetizing. Shrimp cooks very quickly; in about 3-4 minutes. Add the shrimp in, close the lid, and check in 3 minutes. If the shrimp is lightly pink or opaque, it is cooked. Take it off the heat!

*if you don’t end up using soujuk…then you might as well not make the gumbo. I’m serious. The deep, smokey flavor in the gumbo comes from cooking the vegetables in the soujuk fat, after browning the soujuk. In fact, you cook the chicken in the fat too. So really, there is no gumbo without the rendered fat of soujuk.

*serve the gumbo with rice. I highly recommend just a half serving of rice because gumbo is meant to be soupy, not dry. The rice to gumbo ratio should be 2:1. I used brown, long grain basmati and I thought it worked perfectly. The nutty flavor of the brown basmati rice really adds another layer of depth to the gumbo but if you are one of those “I can’t eat any whole grain starches” then feel free to use white rice; it works just as well.

Lightened Up Chicken Gumbo

Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 mins
Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
Yield: 8 1x

Scale

Ingredients

1 lb soujuk (andouille sausage substitute), cut into 1″ thick, angled slices
1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast (or boneless, skinless chicken thighs)
1 lb peeled and deveined raw shrimp
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups sliced okra (frozen or fresh)
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
2 tsp Cajun seasoning (like Zataran’s) or to taste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp hot sauce (like Tabasco) or to taste
2 tsp dried thyme
4 bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
4–5 cups water
2–4 stalks green onions, finely chopped (for garnish)
chopped parsley for garnish
cooked rice (white or brown)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spread flour on a baking sheet evenly. Toast in oven for 30 minutes. Stir flour to ensure even browing. Return to oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the flour becomes golden brown and develops a nutty smell. Remove from oven and set aside.
Heat a dutch oven on high heat and add soujuk in an even layer and brown each both sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add chicken to the rendered fat and cook until chicken is no longer pink on the inside, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium low and add onions into the rendered fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add celery and green pepper and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
Slowly add in toasted flour and mix well. Add browned soujuk and stir to coat with flour mixture. Stir in tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Add 4 cups water, stirring to dissolve lumps. Add in vinegar and chicken bouillon cubes, stirring to dissolve. bring to a boil and reduce heat to lowest setting.
Add in thyme, bay leaves, salt, paprika, hot sauce, cajun seasoning, and okra. Cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove lid and shrimp and chicken. Cook for 5 minutes, until shrimp turns opaque. Remove from heat.
Serve with rice. Garnish with green onions and parsley.

Vegetable Tagine with Cilantro-Mint Chermoula and Saffron Couscous

December 2, 2015 1 Comment

It’s hard to be in a bad mood when the freshly fallen snow makes my neighborhood look like a snow globe and I’m having vegetable tagine with cilantro-mint charmoula over a bed of saffron couscous for dinner. This cold weather begs for a comforting, piping hot meal filled with spice, tang, and sweetness. After all the Thanksgiving leftovers were finished, I wanted to reset and go back to eating light, clean meals so when the Mister requested a meal with couscous, I instantly thought of this vegetable tagine.

Traditionally, tagine is a slow-simmered stew of meat and vegetables and cooked in a shallow, clay vessel called tagine. In the absence of a tagine, I use my dutch oven or a heavy-bottom pot to get comparable results. This vegetable tagine with cilantro-mint chermoula is a perfect vegetarian meal with the chickpeas acting as the protein. It is so hearty, you won’t even miss the meat. Some of you will ask if this tagine can be made in a slow cooker, to which I say, I’m sure it can but it would miss out on the caramelization of the vegetables and spices and then the deglaze of the pot that adds a richness to the stew that the slow cooker cannot bring. That being said, if you’re hard-pressed for time, throw it all in a slow cooker!This tagine starts with a medley of fresh vegetables which are caramelized until they become soft and sweet. The best part about these fresh vegetables is that they are customizable to your palate. I used red onions, red peppers, green peppers, carrots, cauliflower, and potatoes. But you can use whatever you have in your fridge. I also deglazed the pan with the juice of 1/2 a lemon mixed with my homemade chicken stock but vegetable stock can be subbed in just as well. Stock mixed with a little bit of lemon juice is similar to deglazing with wine and is a great substitute for alcohol-free cooking. And for those who are wondering, when you deglaze, you are using liquid to remove bits of food stuck to the pan, at a high heat, which allows the liquid to reduce almost instantly to create a thick, concentrated sauce.

Chermoula is a spicy, green sauce, similar to a chimichurri sauce and is traditionally used as a sauce or rub on meat, to give it color and flavor. This chermoula combines heat with the earthy flavors of mint and cilantro to cut the sweetness from the tomatoes and raisins in the tagine. The combination of the heat and sweet, mixed with the soft texture of the saffron couscous makes winter bearable. This chermoula stays good in the fridge for up to 5 days and is great on not just this vegetable tagine but on sandwiches, pastas, and I’ve even used it on my eggs in the morning. In other words, it won’t last as long as you think it will.All of the ingredients are placed in a blender together, along with some good quality olive oil and the chermoula is good to go! In my hurry to get this recipe up, I forgot to take pictures of the couscous cooking! Couscous is so easy to make; easier than making rice. And it has a nice, nutty flavor that dances when paired with saucy dishes. The key is to make sure the liquid is at a rolling boil. Cooking the couscous in water is fine but I like to cook it in either chicken or vegetable stock so the grains can soak up all the wonderful flavors of the aromatics and herbs of the stock. Cover for five minutes and fluff with a fork before serving. How easy is that?!

Vegetable Tagine with Cilantro-Mint Chermoula and Saffron Couscous

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 1x

Scale

Ingredients

For the Tagine:
1 cup red onion, chopped
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas or 15 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 28 oz can peeled whole tomatoes
3 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground corriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon (1/4 cup)
1 cup stock (chicken or vegetable)
1 tsp grated ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds, for garnish
1 cup water
For Chermoula:
1 packed cup mint
1 packed cup cilantro
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1–3 tbsp good quality hot sauce (adjust to spice preference)
juice of 3 lemons
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp water
1 tsp salt
For Couscous:
2 cups uncooked medium grade couscous
4 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
5–7 strands saffron
2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

make the tagine: Heat olive oil in a medium-sized dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and stir. Add carrots and red and green bell pepper and cook for an additionally 3-4 minutes. Add salt, paprika, turmeric, corriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and red pepper. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
Mix lemon juice with stock, increase flame to high and drizzle in stock mixture into pot, using a spoon to scrape down the sides. Cook for 2 minutes, until most of the liquid evaporates.
Add tomatoes and mash with the back of a spoon to break up the tomatoes. Add chickpeas and mix well. Add honey and water. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add potatoes and cauliflower, cover and simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Stir in raisins and simmer for 2 more minutes. Take off heat.
make the chermoula: Add the cilantro, mint,hot sauce, garlic cloves, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Turn the food processor on and slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend well. Once the mint and cilantro have formed a sauce. and add water 1 tbsp at a time, until the sauce reaches desired consistency.
make the couscous: In a medium pot, bring stock, olive oil, and saffron to a rolling boil. Stir to make sure saffron dissolves. Slowly add in couscous, stirring to make sure no clumps form. Turn off heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
To serve: Layer couscous at the bottom of a wide bowl, add tagine, drizzle chermoula and top with slivered almonds.