Roast Sweet Potato Tagine | Daily Mail Online

Fragrant, sweet and easy to make. Serve with salad for a lighter lunch

SERVES 6 

1kg sweet potatoes 

3 tbsp olive oil 

salt and black pepper 

2 medium red onions

1 fresh red chilli 

2 garlic cloves 

6cm piece fresh ginger 

30g fresh coriander 

100g dried apricots

1 x 240g tin chickpeas 

2 tbsp harissa paste 

2 tsp ras el hanout 

2 tsp ground cumin 

2 tsp ground coriander 

½ tsp sugar 

2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes 

200ml water

FOR THE LEMON & ALMOND COUSCOUS

1 preserved lemon (or replace with the grated zest of a lemon, the juice of half a lemon and an extra pinch of salt)

1 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

300g couscous

400ml boiling water

50g flaked almonds

20g fresh coriander leaves

Preheat oven to 180C/gas 4. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 3cm chunks and spread over a lined baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the red onions. Rip the stem from the chilli, cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds, then finely chop. Peel and finely grate the garlic. Peel and grate the ginger. Pluck the leaves from the coriander, put them to one side and thinly slice the stems. Roughly chop the apricots. Drain the chickpeas.

Place a large saucepan over a medium heat and add the rest of the olive oil. Add the onions and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring, until starting to soften. Add the chilli, garlic, ginger and coriander stems and stir for 2 minutes. Add the harissa paste, ras el hanout, cumin, ground coriander and sugar and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and water. Lower the heat and simmer for 7-9 minutes. Stir in the apricots and chickpeas. Put the lid on and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Take the lid off the pan, taste and season. Add the coriander leaves and sweet potato and stir. Reduce the heat to low and put the lid back on the pan.

To make the couscous, halve the preserved lemon and put it into a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, cumin, couscous and water. Cover with a plate and set aside for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, spread the flaked almonds over a lined baking tray. Put in the oven and bake for 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Finely chop the coriander leaves.

Remove the preserved lemon from the bowl and fluff the couscous with a fork. Reserve a quarter of the almonds and a quarter of the chopped coriander leaves and fold the rest into the couscous. Taste and season.

Divide the couscous among bowls and top with the tagine. Garnish with the reserved almonds and coriander and serve.