LIBYAN COUSCOUS WITH CHICKPEA, SQUASH, ZUCCHINI, AND EGGPLANT

LIBYAN COUSCOUS WITH CHICKPEA, SQUASH, ZUCCHINI, AND EGGPLANT image

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 cup dried chickpeas
5 Tablespoons olive oil
3 medium onions, roughly chopped
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 butternut, acorn,or other bright orange squash (about 2 pounds) peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds
1 large eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch chunks
2 celery stalks (with leaves) cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cabbage (about 1 pound) shredded
2-3 potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds) peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground tumeric
1/2 cut plus 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 Tablespoons snipped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 pound couscous

Steps:

1. Soak the chickpeas in water to cover by at least 1 inch, for 8 hours or overnight. This will yield 2 cups of reconstituted chickpeas. 2. Heat 3 Tablespoons of the olive oil in the bottom of a coucousier or stockpot. Add the onions and saute until golden. 3. Drain the chickpeas, add to the onions in the stockpot, and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. 4. Add the carrots, squash, zucchini, eggplant, celery, cabbage, and potatoes to the stockpot. Then stir in the garlic, tumeric, 1/2 cup of the cilantro, 2 tablespoons of the snipped dill, and salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix well and bring to a boil. 5. Place the couscous in a cheesecloth-lined vegetable steamer or couscousier insert, and with your fingers, gently rub the grains to eliminate lumps. Set the insert in the couscousier or stockpot over the boiling vegetables. Cover, lower the heat and simmer for a half hour or until the vegetables are fork tender. Adjust the seasoning to taste. 6. Pour 1 cup of hot water slowly over the couscous into the pot, mixing it in with our fingers and the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil, as it is absorbed, again, separating the grains. Continue to steam for another 15 minutes. 7. Transfer the couscous to the center of a large serving dish, and again separate the grains with your fingers to fluff it. Spoon the vegetables around the edge and sprinkle on the remaining 2 Tablespoons each of cilantro and dill