I’m so excited to be cooking again. One of the first meals (instant noodles doesn’t count) is this super easy Moroccan Chickpea and Lentils Tagine recipe. We were so sick of eating out since we had our kitchen packed up for our move. Although our condo is still in a mess of disarray of boxes, we made it a point to unpack the kitchen pronto!

This recipe is a dream on stormy nights. There is currently a three day storm brewing in Vancouver, BC. I love the spices and the garlic that goes into this stew. Moroccan spiced stew goes well with a bowl of fragrant jasmine rice (so Chinese of me right?) or a loaf of fresh bread and wine. This stew is warm and hearty. Perfect to grab a bowl and binge watch some Netflix.

The recipe calls for Passata. Passata is tomato sauce strained of seeds and skins. Depending on the brand, some are chunkier, some are smoother. As long as you can find pure canned tomatoes you are good. I like to also add some tomato paste to make the flavors more bold.

If you are in a pinch, you can used canned beans. I mixed a can of cooked chickpeas and some lentils. Cook whole lentils in a boiling pot of water for about 15 to 20 minutes. You can also use dried Kabuli chickpeas. These will require soaking and boiling.

Moroccan Chickpea and Lentils Tagine Recipe

Ingredients

3-5 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, diced
1/4 tsp fresh grated ginger (ginger powder also ok)
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1 tsp salt (less if you want less salty)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup Passata
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 cup water (I like to use the tomato water from the 796ml can)
1 tsp sugar
2 cups cooked chickpeas
3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Lots of finely chopped green onions

Directions

Heat oil on medium high and sauté onions and garlic and cook until softened.
Add all dry spices and cook until fragrant for a few minutes (don’t let the spices burn!)
Add Passata, chopped tomatoes, tomato water (or water), tomato paste, sugar, salt and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes.
Add cooked chickpeas and lentils and cook another 20 minutes until sauce has thickened.
Stir in fresh parsley, cilantro and finely chopped green onions (FCGO) right before serving.
Garnish with FCGO and serve with rice or bread.

If you are really hungry, fried an egg and add it on top! Because, eggs makes everything better!

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