Moroccan Stew with Couscous
Submitted by journey18462
Moroccan vegetable stew with chickpeas, butternut squash, sweet potato, dried apricots, and raisins, spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and turmeric. Served over couscous.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
75 minREADY
90 minThis Moroccan stew is a fragrant, warming bowl of North African comfort food built on chickpeas, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots, with dried apricots and raisins adding pockets of concentrated sweetness throughout.
The spice blend is what makes it unmistakably Moroccan: cinnamon, ground ginger, turmeric, nutmeg, red pepper flakes, and whole cloves all bloom in the oil with the onions before the liquid goes in. That step toasts the spices and releases their essential oils, so the broth turns golden and aromatic from the very start.
Brown sugar balances the warm spices with a caramel sweetness, and the whole pot simmers uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes until the squash and sweet potato are tender and the broth has thickened slightly.
Pro Tips
- Stir the spices into the softened onions for 30 seconds before adding water. Blooming spices in fat intensifies their flavor by two or three times.
- Cut the squash and sweet potato into similar-sized cubes so they cook at the same rate.
- Remove the whole cloves before serving if you can find them. Biting into one is a sharp surprise nobody wants.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork after it sits. Stirring with a spoon compacts the grains and makes it gummy.
Variations
- Add a can of diced tomatoes with the water for a more stew-like, saucier result.
- Swap the couscous for fluffy rice or warm flatbread.
- Top with a dollop of harissa paste and a squeeze of lemon for a spicy, acidic kick.
Ingredients
Directions
FOR THE STEW: In a 4-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, until softened.
Add ½ teaspoon of the salt and all of the cinnamon, ginger, tumeric, nutmeg, and red pepper, stirring until absorbed.
Add the water and cloves; bring to a boil.
Add the carrot, squash, chickpeas, sweet potato, raisins, apricots, and brown sugar, and return to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, 40 to 45 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender.
FOR THE COUSCOUS: During the last 5 minutes of cooking the stew, place the couscous in a medium-sized bowl.
Add the boiling water and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Serve the stew over the couscous and top with the chopped almonds.
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