This aromatic, cinnamon and cumin scented chickpea dish is warming in the winter and delicous with cous-cous. I made it for our last vegetarian dinner at the Morningstar Center in Bucharest! It has the additional advantages of being low fat and vegan, but very hearty and filling. It is also sattvic – a type of vegetarian food that enhances your meditation and yoga practice.
Ingredients:
- 2 potatoes
- 1 medium zuchinni
- 1 red kapia pepper
- 1 cup of cauliflower
- 2 carrots , peeled and cut lengthwise in big chunks
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup golden or brown raisins
- 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chopped or diced tomatoes in juice
Spices:
- 1 tsp chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 t asafoetida
Cous-cous
- 1 1/2 cups couscous
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)
I like to cut the vegetables in this recipe in large, long chunks – which gives the whole dish a more warming quality. Boil salted water, with chopped ginger and then add the carrots and potatoes. After about 3 minutes of cooking, add the cauliflower and zuchinni. After another 5 minutes, add the raisins and chickpeas. Once all of the vegetables are soft, add the spices and diced tomatoes. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Cous-cous cooks is ready in only 5 minutes, so just before serving the meal, boil salted water and then remove the pan from the heat and add the cous cous. Cover the pan and allow the cous-cous to absorb the water. Add olive oil and fluff the cous-cous with a fork.