A hearty, healthy and heart-warming dish that packs a punch. Works well served with a fresh Mediterranean salad and crusty bread.

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

Cous cous

300g bulgur wheat or couscous

100g golden raisins

3 x tsp. Ras el Hanut

400ml boiling water

Tajine

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 x red onion - chopped

1 tsp. ginger grated

1 x red chilli – deseeded and sliced

2 x cloves garlic - crushed

2 x sweet potatoes peeled and chopped

2 x carrots – peeled and chopped

1 x aubergine - diced

1 x courgette diced

1 x pepper - sliced

1 tsp. ground coriander

1tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp. harissa paste

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

750 ml vegetable stock

1 x 400g tin chickpeas - drained and rinsed

100g green beans

1 x lemon - juiced

Fresh coriander - chopped

Method

First make up your bulgur wheat or couscous. Bring the water to the boil, mix in the raisins and ras el hanut and pour over the water. Cover with cling film and allow to sit until cool.

For the tajine take a large pan and heat the olive oil on a medium heat. Add the red onion and cook for a couple of minutes until soft then add the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add the aubergine, carrots and sweet potato and cook for 10 minutes until it starts to soften. Add the courgette, pepper and spices along with the harissa and combine everything together. Next add the chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock to the pan and bring to a boil.

Simmer for 15 - 20 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked then add the chickpeas, green beans and lemon juice. Simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Alternatively, if you have a tajine pot place all the mix into it and cook in the oven for around 20 minutes. Serve with the bulgur wheat or couscous and garnish with fresh coriander.

Gary Townsend is head chef at One Devonshire Gardens by Hotel du Vin, Glasgow. See www.hotelduvin.com or phone 0141 378 0385 to book.

Twitter @Chefgtownsend

Instagram- @chef.g.townsend