Vegetable Tagine with Chickpeas and Apricots

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled (optional)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup dried apricots, halved
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/3 cup roasted almonds, roughly chopped, and fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a tagine or large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, then add the cumin, cinnamon, coriander, smoked paprika, cayenne, and saffron, stirring constantly for 30 seconds to toast the spices.
4. Add the carrots and sweet potatoes and stir to coat evenly in the spiced onion mixture.
5. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the vegetable broth, and stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
6. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the carrots and sweet potatoes are just becoming tender.
7. Stir in the chickpeas and dried apricots, cover again, and simmer for another 15 to 18 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
8. Uncover and simmer for a final 5 minutes if the sauce still looks thin, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking on the bottom.
9. Stir in the salt, then taste and adjust seasoning, adding more cayenne for heat or a touch more cinnamon for sweetness as desired.
10. Ladle into bowls over couscous or rice, and top each serving with chopped roasted almonds and fresh cilantro.

Nutrition

Calories	340
Protein	9 g
Fat	12 g
Carbs	52 g
Fiber	10 g
Sodium	560 mg

Estimated per serving