Name: Chickpea tagine with apricots Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves: 4
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 2tbsp veg oil; 400g tinned jackfruit, drained; 400g tinned chickpeas, drained; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 garlic cloves, crushed; pinch of saffron threads, crushed; 1 cinnamon stick; 1tsp ground ginger; 1tsp ground cumin; 1tsp chilli flakes; 10 ready-to-eat soft dried apricots, halved; 200g tomatoes, roughly chopped; juice of 1 lemon; 1tsp sugar; 300ml vegan stock; 1 handful of coriander, chopped; 2 preserved lemons, flesh and pith removed; couscous to serve (optional; coconut yoghurt to serve (optional)

By Jules Mercer 2020-05-29T07:00:00Z

This chickpea tagine is a hearty vegan take on the Moroccan classic, which usually features chicken, lamb or beef.

We have bulked out the chickpea tagine with jackfruit but you could opt for extra veggies if preferred. This dish is ready in just 20 minutes but if you’ve got more time it works perfectly as a slow-cooked one-pot wonder!

What is jackfruit, what does it taste like and where can I buy it? The jackfruit plant grows abundantly in countries such as India and Southeast Asia. In these tropical conditions the tree produces huge, green, oblong fruits with a bumpy exterior, which is what we’re interested in! When eaten raw, the jackfruit is sweet like mango, when unripe the fruit has a savoury flavour, making it perfect for this tagine! Although fairly new to supermarkets, you can find jackfruit in the tinned aisles, online or at certain fresh food markets.

Is jackfruit good for me? Jackfruit is packed full of nutrients, including fibre and antioxidants. So it’s a great plant-based meat alternative. It also came up trumps in the results of Vegan Food Awards.

What is a tagine? A tagine like this chickpea tagine is a North African stew dish typically slow cooked in a domed clay pot. However, we’ve turned this dish on its head by whizzing it up in less than 30 minutes! Packed with the same punchy flavours, this makes a great midweek dinner.

Method

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over a medium heat.
Add the onions and garlic and sauté until softened. If the onions begin to stick add a little more oil.
Add the spices, and sauté for a further minute.
Stir in the drained jackfruit and chickpeas.
Add the apricots, tomatoes, lemon juice and honey. Pour in the stock, cover and cook on a low heat for 15-20 mins, until tender.
Top with chopped preserved lemon, coriander and serve with couscous and a spoonful of coconut yoghurt.