Vegetable tagine with apricots

Tagine is the name of a wonderful conical Moroccan cooking pot as well as the name of the recipe itself. Tagine recipes are aromatic, flavorsome slow cooked stews of meat, fruit, vegetables and spices. This vegetarian tagine is full of healthy goodness. Not only is it low-GI, low-fat and diabetes-friendly, with its subtle blend of dates, apricots and spices, it tastes great too!

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 brown onion, halved, cut into wedges
• 2 carrots, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp ground paprika
• 1 x 7cm cinnamon stick
• Large pinch of saffron threads
• 375ml (1 1/2 cups) vegetable stock
• 650g butternut pumpkin, deseeded, peeled, coarsely chopped
• 250g green beans, topped, cut into 6cm lengths
• 100g dried Turkish apricots
• 100g fresh dates, halved, pitted
• 1 x 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
• 1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves
• Greek-style natural yoghurt, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the carrot, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, paprika, cinnamon and saffron and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until aromatic.
2. Add stock and bring to the boil. Add the pumpkin, beans and apricots. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
3. Add dates, chickpeas and lemon rind and stir to combine.
4. Spoon among serving bowls and top with coriander. Serve with yoghurt.

(Source: taste.com)