Tajine Khodra bil Hummus

Morocco's meatless tagines are among the world's great vegetarian traditions — centuries of spice trading gifted its cooks an unmatched pantry of aromatics. This baked tagine of chickpeas, preserved lemon, olives, and seasonal vegetables is prepared in every Moroccan household during Ramadan and throughout the year as a nourishing, abundant meal in its own right.

Serves: 4–6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
• 2 medium onions, finely sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp paprika (sweet)
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 medium carrots, cut into 3cm (1¼ in) chunks
• 2 medium courgettes (zucchini), cut into 3cm chunks
• 1 red pepper, cut into strips
• 400g (14 oz) tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 200g/7 oz dried, soaked overnight and boiled until tender)
• 400g (14 oz) tin crushed tomatoes
• 200ml (¾ cup) water
• ½ preserved lemon, rind only, finely chopped
• 100g (3½ oz) green olives, pitted
• Large handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• Large handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F). Heat olive oil in a heavy tagine or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Fry sliced onions until soft and golden, about 12 minutes. Add garlic and all spices; stir and cook 2 minutes until deeply fragrant.
3. Add carrots and cook 3 minutes, stirring. Add courgettes and red pepper; stir to coat in spices.
4. Add chickpeas, crushed tomatoes, water, and preserved lemon. Stir to combine, season with salt.
5. Cover tightly and transfer to the oven. Bake 45–55 minutes until vegetables are very tender and the sauce has reduced and thickened.
6. Remove lid, scatter olives over the top, and return to oven uncovered for a further 10 minutes to caramelise the surface slightly.
7. Scatter generously with coriander and parsley. Serve directly from the tagine with warm Moroccan bread (khobz) to mop up the sauce.

Cook's Notes: Preserved lemons are the soul of this dish — they add a floral, briny depth no substitute can match. Make your own by packing quartered lemons in salt for 4 weeks, or find them at Middle Eastern and North African grocers.