Pumpkin & Chickpea Tagine Recipe

I made this gorgeous rich and aromatic vegetarian pumpkin & chickpea tagine recipe using my single tiny pumpkin that I managed to grow this year. I’m a bit slow in posting this recipe due to my various travels this year but I hope you will enjoy it anyway.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick
¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
¼ tsp saffron threads, steeped in 100ml hot water

500g pumpkin, peeled and cut into large pieces
2 waxy potatoes, peeled and cut in half
1 can chickpeas
1 can crushed tomatoes

2 zucchini, sliced
½ a preserved lemon, chopped

cooked cous cous or rice, to serve
½ cup yoghurt
½ cup coriander leaves

In a large pot, heat the oil and butter and cook the onion and garlic until soft and lightly golden. Add the spices (except saffron), cook for a couple of minutes, then add the chickpeas, saffron, pumpkin, potatoes, tomatoes and just enough water to cover. Season with salt and simmer gently until the potatoes are almost soft (about 30-40 minutes).

Add the zucchini and preserved lemon and cook for 5 more minutes or until the potatoes and pumpkin are soft (but not mushy).

Serve with cous cous or rice and a dollop of yoghurt and some freshly chopped coriander.