VEGAN MOROCCAN COUSCOUS WITH RAISINS AND VEGETABLES

Vegan Moroccan Couscous with Raisins and Vegetables image

A hearty vegetable stew with couscous for a crowd that is naturally vegan. Couscous is the staple food of much of North Africa, where it is often served topped with tender, colorful vegetables, drenched in delicious gravy and spiced with a traditional hot chile sauce called harissa.

Provided by Norma MacMillan

Categories World Cuisine Recipes African

Time 1h30m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 30

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chile powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground ginger
6 cups vegetable stock
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
½ pound pumpkin, cut into chunks
1 small sweet potato, cut into chunks
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 carrot, cut into chunks
1 turnip, cut into chunks
3 ½ ounces fresh green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 zucchini, cut into chunks
1 (14 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
10 ½ ounces couscous
1 cup raisins
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons hot chile sauce
1 tablespoon orange flower water, or more to taste
1 pinch ground cinnamon

Steps:

Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions and 1/2 of the garlic and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, chile powder, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, coriander, and ginger and cook for a few seconds. Add vegetable stock, tomatoes with their juice, pumpkin, sweet potato, celery, carrot, turnip, and green beans. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are just tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in remaining garlic, zucchini, and garbanzo beans. Cook until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine couscous and raisins in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Mix well to moisten the couscous. Set aside to soak for 5 minutes.
Ladle 2 cups of cooking liquid from the vegetable stew over the couscous mixture. Cover and set aside to soak for 10 minutes. Cover stew to keep warm.
Ladle 1 1/4 cups hot cooking liquid from the vegetables into a bowl. Stir in cilantro, lemon juice, and cumin. Add chile sauce.
Reheat stew if necessary. Fluff up couscous with a fork and mound on a platter or large bowl. Sprinkle with orange flower water and cinnamon. Ladle some of the vegetable stew over the couscous and serve the rest separately. Serve with the chile sauce mixture on the side.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 394.8 calories, Carbohydrate 75 g, Fat 6.9 g, Fiber 8.8 g, Protein 10.9 g, SaturatedFat 0.9 g, Sodium 590.7 mg, Sugar 19.7 g