T
his blend of spices typifies Moroccan seasoning, and transforms the dish’s simple ingredients into a complex offering. This dish can be made two ways, one that centers solely on the chickpeas, and one that incorporates vegetables to add more substance. Both versions are considered a side dish, but when served with couscous or rice they become a main course.
Ali’s Moroccan Spice Chickpeas (Tagine el Hummous)
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb (about 2 ½ c) dried chickpeas, picked over, soaked in water to cover for 12 hours, drained and rinsed (I used canned chickpeas)
- 3 T oil (vegetable or olive)
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced, or 2 small hot green chilies, seeded and minced
- 2-3 carrots, chopped (optional)
- 1 sweet potato, 1 pound seeded butternut squash, or 2 turnips, peeled and chopped (optional)
- ¼ t cayenne
- ¼ t ground cinnamon
- ¼ t ground cumin
- ¼ t ground ginger
- ¼ t paprika
- ⅛ t ground turmeric
- 1 ⅓ lbs plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and shopped, about 3 c
- About 1 t table salt or 2 t kosher salt
- About ¼ t ground black pepper
- ¼ c chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ c chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Put the chickpeas in a large pot and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until tender, about 1.5 hours. Drain. (I skip this step because I used canned chickpeas)
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 1 minute. Add the garlic and, if using, the carrots and/or sweet potato and saute until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cayenne, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, paprika and saffron and saute for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes liquefy into a sauce, about 20 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- For a more highly spiced dish, increase the cinnamon, cumin and ginger to 1 tsp each and the cayenne to ½ teaspoon. (Yes! I do this!)
Notes
From the cookbook, “Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World”
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