Moroccan Vegetable Stew With Couscous
By: Kitch-N-Chik
Published: Saturday, December 12, 2009 - 10:58pm

Ingredients




2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lrg yellow onion chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
2 whl red potatoes diced
1 cup carrot diced
2 teaspoons cardamom ground
1 zucchini cut in half and sliced
1 yellow squash cut in half-moons sliced
1/2 cauliflower florets
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper ground
1 teaspoon cayenne ground
1/2 cup raisins or currants soaked 15 minutes in warm 16 ounces tomato diced
15 ounces tomato sauce
2 tablespoons honey
15 ounces garbanzo beans
6 cups water
3 cups couscous uncooked
1/2 cup dried figs coarsely chopped
 cup almonds sliced
1 pint plain yogurt for garnish
(Note: use fat free or low fat)
1 bn fresh mint chopped, for garnish

Preparation

1 In a heavy stockpot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, and cardamom. Stir until fragrant, then add the zucchini,yellow squash, and cauliflower. Add curry powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne and stir. Drain the raisins and add to the pot along with the tomatoes, tomato sauce, honey, and garbanzo beans. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, adding up to 1 cup of water if the stew appears dry. 2 While the stew is cooking, bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and stir in the couscous. Cook for 1 minute, then cover and turn off the heat, letting the couscous sit for 10 minutes. After the couscous has sat for 5 minutes, stir the figs and almonds into the stew. 3 To serve, fluff up the couscous with a fork. Spoon a mound of couscous on each plate and form a well in the center. Ladle a portion of stew into the well. Garnish with several tablespoons of the yogurt and fresh mint. Serve the remaining yogurt on the side. 4 NOTES : The Jump Up and Kiss Me Spicy Vegetarian Cooking by Jennifer Trainer Thompson was called to the attention of the Food/Wine group by Brenda Adams. 5 Press of 6 Serves 6 to 8Moroccan food is startlingly aromatic. Perfumed with the fragrance of cardamom and accented with the sweetness of currants, one bite of this spicy stew will have you thinking you've just arrived in the city of Fez for a culinary adventure. It's delicious served with Fennel Salad