The Ultimate Veggie Tagine: A Simple, Flavorful Delight

A vegetable tagine is a cheap, healthy, and delicious meal that is perfect for a chilly winter evening. This Moroccan dish is usually cooked in a clay or ceramic pot but can be made in a Dutch oven for a modern take on the traditional recipe. The perfect vegetable tagine should be slowly simmered, allowing the root vegetables to release their natural sweetness and become beautifully soft. The spices and condiments used in a vegetable tagine can vary according to taste, but commonly include cinnamon, coriander, cumin, saffron, ginger, and harissa paste. The dish is best served with couscous or rice.

Choosing and preparing your vegetables

Start by selecting a variety of fresh vegetables that are in season and appeal to your taste. Common choices include onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, aubergine, courgettes, red peppers, and butternut squash. You can also add dried fruits like apricots or prunes for a touch of sweetness.

Once you've gathered your ingredients, it's time to prepare them. Chop the vegetables into fairly large, chunky pieces. This is important as you want them to hold their shape during the slow cooking process. Make sure to peel and deseed any vegetables that require it, such as potatoes, butternut squash, and aubergine.

After chopping, heat some olive oil or vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the vegetables in batches and fry them until they are lightly browned, stirring regularly. You may need to do this in several batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. This step helps to enhance the flavour of the vegetables and gives them a nice texture.

Next, you can start building the flavour base for your tagine. Add spices such as coriander, cinnamon, cumin, and ginger to the pan. Fry these for a few minutes, stirring frequently, to release their aromatic flavours. You can also add crushed or grated garlic and ginger at this stage for an extra punch of flavour.

At this point, you can also add tomato puree or chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, and honey (if using). Give everything a good stir to combine all the ingredients. Then, simply let the vegetables simmer away until they are tender. This can take around 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your vegetable pieces and the desired doneness.

Finally, taste your vegetable tagine and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add some freshly chopped herbs like parsley or mint just before serving for a burst of freshness.

Remember, the beauty of a vegetable tagine is that you can be flexible and adapt it to your taste. Feel free to experiment with different combinations of vegetables and spices to find your perfect flavour profile!

Spices and seasoning

The main spice blend used in many vegetable tagine recipes is harissa, a North African spice blend that typically includes chilli peppers, garlic, caraway, cumin, and coriander. Harissa adds a depth of flavour and a subtle heat to the dish. It is often added at the beginning of cooking to allow its flavours to infuse the vegetables and broth.

In addition to the spices, seasoning with salt is crucial to enhancing the flavours of the dish. It is recommended to season generously with salt and pepper, especially when cooking the onions and other vegetables, to create a well-rounded and savoury taste.

Some recipes also incorporate dried fruits such as apricots, prunes, or figs, which add a touch of sweetness that balances the savoury and spicy notes of the dish. A drizzle of honey can also be used to enhance the natural sweetness of the vegetables and create a unique flavour profile.

Finally, fresh herbs such as parsley, mint, and coriander are often added towards the end of cooking or used as a garnish. These herbs provide a bright and fresh flavour that complements the warmth of the spices, creating a well-balanced and delicious vegetable tagine.

Cooking methods

First, prepare your vegetables. For a vegetable tagine, you will need a selection of vegetables such as onions, garlic, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, aubergine, courgettes, red peppers, butternut squash, and dried apricots. Chop the vegetables into chunks or slices, keeping them fairly chunky so they don't fall apart during cooking.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add your onions and increase the heat to medium-high. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Next, add the garlic and all the chopped vegetables. Season with salt and spices, including ground coriander, cinnamon, cumin, and harissa paste. Toss to combine. Cook for 5-10 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring regularly.

Now, add the tomatoes, vegetable stock or broth, and dried apricots. Season with a small dash of salt. Keep the heat on medium-high and cook for 10 minutes. Then, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Finally, stir in cooked chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes on low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or spices to your liking.

Serve your vegetable tagine with couscous, rice, or bread. Top with a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of fresh herbs like parsley or mint.

Enjoy your delicious and hearty vegetable tagine!

Making the couscous

Couscous is the perfect side dish for a vegetable tagine, and it's easy to make. Here's a step-by-step guide to preparing delicious, fluffy couscous to accompany your tagine.

Ingredients:

• 300 g (10.5 oz) dried couscous
• 480 ml (2 cups) hot vegetable stock
• 1 400 g (14 oz) tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp harissa paste
• Large handful of toasted flaked almonds
• Lemon juice, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

• Place the dry couscous in a large bowl. Adding the correct amount of liquid is crucial to achieving the perfect couscous, so it's a good idea to use a measuring jug.
• Pour 400ml of boiling water or hot vegetable stock over the couscous. You can also use chicken or beef stock if you're not serving vegetarians.
• Stir in the harissa paste and chickpeas. You can also add a dash of olive oil at this stage for extra flavour.
• Cover the bowl with a lid or clean tea towel. Leave the couscous to absorb the liquid for about 5-15 minutes. The grains will swell and become tender.
• Use a fork to fluff up the couscous. This will make it light and airy, rather than clumpy.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
• Sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds just before serving.

Your couscous is now ready to serve! You can also experiment with adding different herbs, spices, and nuts to this basic recipe to create your own unique version. Enjoy!

Serving suggestions

Vegetable tagine is a great dish to serve with couscous, rice, or bread. Couscous is the most traditional option, and it can be made more interesting with the addition of almonds, mint, or parsley. If you want to serve your tagine with rice, try cooking it in vegetable stock to add extra flavour.

If you want to make your tagine go further, you could serve it with a side of flatbreads, pittas, or even just good crusty bread. This will allow your guests to mop up the sauce, and can be a great way to elevate the meal.

For a more filling meal, you could serve your tagine with quinoa. This will bulk it out and make it more of a complete protein, which is great if you're serving it to people who are used to having meat as the centrepiece of a meal.

Finally, if you want to make your tagine a little more special, you could serve it with a glass of Appletiser. The apple flavour pairs perfectly with the cinnamon and apricots in the dish, and it's a great non-alcoholic alternative to wine.

Frequently asked questions