Feast time with some Moroccan Tagine and lemongrass cous cous

Vegetable Tagine with lemon grass infused cous cous

Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people. ~ Elizabeth Berry

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The moment a liking for a certain thing crosses the boundaries that define the ordinary, we realize it is obsession and in most cases it is there to stay. We people thrive on the word “Indulgence” as if there were no tomorrow: Indulgence in various forms, food being a humble party to it.

Recently I had a Vegetable Tagine and loved it. Various texture, flavors and marriage of fruits and vegetables: it was simply to die for!

I loved it so much that I just had to go and get myself a book on Moroccan cuisine. Their strong flavours, infused spices go well with an assortment of vegetables, meat, fruits and dry fruits.

Vegetable Tagine and lemon grass infused Cous Cous

Ingredients

5 small potatoes, dices into halves
6 large carrots, dices into same size pieces
1 bunch of flat green beans, chopped into same width
4 bell peppers, assorted green, red ad yellow, membrane and seeds removed and cut into bit size squares
7-8 baby corns, cleaned and cut into halves
5 small onions, quartered
6 medium tomatoes, skin removed, de-seeded and coarsely chopped
5-6 cloves of garlic
1” ginger root, cleaned and crushed
2 Cayenne chili pepper, deseeded and chopped
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp Whole Coriander seeds,
1/2 cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves
3-4 whole black pepper corns
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/s tsp dried ginger
Salt to taste
1 generous tsp 7 spice mix (u can put Garam Masala)
1 tbsp harrisa
1 cup vegetable stock

Lemon Grass infused Cous Cous

Ingredients

100 g cooked pre cooked Cous Cous
1 cup water
½ tsp oil
½ tsp salt
½ root for lemon grass, bruised

Method

Clean and chop all vegetables into 2 inch cubes

Chop garlic, chillies and mince the ginger. Heat oil 1 tsp in a Tagine on medium/low flame and sauté the garlic, chillies and ginger. Take them out and sauté onions. Over and cook for 5 mins.

Add tomatoes, salt and cook covered for another 10 mins. If needed add some more oil. Keep checking in between so that the tomatoes do not burn.

Add 1 tbsp of oil and fry the dry spices whole spices, dried ginger and Garam Masala. Add all the vegetables except for the bell peppers and mix well. Check for salt and add more if needed. Cook covered for 10 mins. Add the vegetable stock and the harrisa and cook covered for 15-20 mins till the potatoes start to become tender.

At this point add the bell pepper, freshly ground black pepper and roasted cumin powder. Cover and cook for 10 mins or till the potatoes and carrots are tender and soaked in the entire flavour.

To make the Cous Cous, heat water in a heavy bottom pan and add the lemon grass, salt and oil. Let is come to a boil and remove from the heat. Add the Cous Cous and let is soak for 2-3 mins so that it hydrates.

Return it to on a low flame and using a fork separate the Cous Cous and cook for 2-3 mins.

Squeeze a lemon and serve hot!