First make the spice to sprinkle on the vegetables.
Ras El Hanout is a Moroccan spice blend. The name in Arabic means "top of the shop". Some recipes may include over one hundred ingredients. Typically they include cardamom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, ginger, various peppers, and turmeric. This spice can be used as a rub on meat, fish and even rice dishes.
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoons coriander
1 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoons cardamom
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon mace
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Preparation:
Grind all the spices in your coffee grinder. Store in a tight container to retain the aroma. It keeps well for months.
Now for the Harissa, which is a Tunisian hot chili paste used in meat or fish, vegetables and couscous to give heat to your dishes.
Ingredients:
20 dried chili pepper
6 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Olive oil about 2 to 3 tablespoons
Method:
Spilt chilies into half's with a scissors. Boil hot water. Put the split chilies into the pan of hot water. Cook them for a while. Drain them to remove seeds.
In a mixie or blender combine chilies, and all the above ingredients and blend to form a smooth paste.
Add the olive oil and store it in the refrigerator for later use. The oil prevents the harissa from spoiling.
You can adjust the spices above to your taste.
Now to make the Vegetable Tagine:
Tagine is Moroccan word to describe an exotic stew as well to refer to the earthenware cooking vessel in which it is prepared.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups each of vegetables like eggplants, cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini, red bell pepper. You can use any vegetables. Make sure you cut them big.
1 cup of chickpea
1 big white onion sliced
2 to 3 big tomatoes sliced
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
salt and pepper to taste.
1 teaspoon harissa paste
1 teaspoon ras el hanout spice blend
cilantro and parsley for garnish
Method:
At oil to a casserole dish or tagine. Add the onion and a little salt. Saute till the onions become soft. Add the ginger garlic paste. Add the a teaspoon of ras el hanout spice blend and the harrisa paste.This is according to your heat preference. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable stock. Layer the root vegetable on the bottom of the casserole, followed by the eggplants, zucchinis, cauliflower, bell peppers and tomatoes. You can sprinkle chickpeas in between the layers.
Cover casserole and cook in the middle shelf of the oven at 350 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes. Sprinkle corriander and parsley leaves and serve warm.
