Moroccan Magic : Full Of Spice And Flavour (part 2) - Grated beetroot & carrot salad, Spicy grilled vegetables with chickpea salad

Grated beetroot & carrot salad

Serves: 4;

Per serving:

121 calories, 0.6g protein,11g fat (1.5g saturated fat), 5g carbohydrates, 4.5g sugar, 1.7g fibre, 0.6g salt

·         1 large carrot

·         1 large beetroot

·         1 tsp ground ginger

·         2 tbsp pomegranate juice

·         2 tbsp cider vinegar

·         4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

·         Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instruction

1.    Peel and grate the carrot and beetroot.

2.    Combine in a bowl with the ground ginger, pomegranate juice, cider vinegar and olive oil.

3.    Season generously with sea salt and black pepper and transfer into a serving bowl

Chef’s Tip:

Antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice gives this dish a refreshing fruity twist

Spicy grilled vegetables with chickpea salad

Serves: 4

Per serving:

470 calories, 13g protein, 23g fat (3.5g saturated fat), 52g carbohydrates, 23g sugar, 12g fibre, 0.8g salt

·         1 tbsp clear runny honey, warmed

·         1 tbsp harissa

·         4 baby aubergines, sliced lengthways

·         2 green peppers, deseeded and sliced

·         2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced

·         2 red onions, sliced

·         2 ripe tomatoes, sliced

·         3 courgettes, thinly sliced

·         2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for basting

·         2 pieces Arab-style flatbread

Chickpeas

·         400g tinned chickpeas, drained

·         ½ tbsp paprika

·         1 onion, thinly sliced

·         2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

·         ½ tbsp ground cumin

·         5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

·         Juice of 1 lemon

·         Sea salt and black pepper

·         Salad leaves to serve

Instruction

1.    To make the salad, put the chickpeas in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Add the remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2.    Combine the honey and harissa in a small bowl.

3.    Next, griddle all the vegetables on a barbecue or cast iron griddle pan over a medium heat, basting with olive oil and turning occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until tender and cooked. Season with salt and pepper while cooking.

4.    During the last five minutes of cooking the vegetables, baste the aubergines with the harissa-honey mix, and cook for about three minutes longer than the other vegetables, or until they begin to blacken and soften.

5.    Split open the flatbreads using a sharp knife and lightly toast.

6.    To assemble, place the vegetables and chickpea salad on the toasted flatbread with some salad leaves.

Chef’s Tip

If you find harissa too hot, use half the quantity and add extra cumin

Andy’s Guide To Moroccan Spices

·         Ras el Hanout:

Every cook has their own version of this legendary spice mix for tagines, which has 20-30 ingredients, including cardamom, cumin, clove, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, rosebuds and fennel. Ras el hanout means ‘head of the shop’ in Arabic, and implies the best spices available.

·         Saffron:

Called zafrane in Morocco, saffron is one of the world’s most expensive spices. Described as having a bitter, honey-like taste, the delicate strands from the crocus flower are used in meat-based tagines.

·         Vanilla salt:

An interesting mix that’s sprinkled liberally on fresh fruit salads, sweet pastries and soups.

·         Mint:

Fresh and dried mint leaves form the centre of the daily tea ritual in Morocco. Dried mint and spearmint also flavour Smen butter, used as a rub for lamb.