Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 onion
- 20g ginger
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 carrots
- 400g pumpkin or butternut squash (based on preference)
- 1 parsnip
- 1 small cauliflower
- 1 swede
- 4 apricots
- 1.5 tbsp Berber spice
- 20g harissa paste
- 30g tomato puree
- 1 lemon 120g organic pearl barley
Dressing
- 20g coriander
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 red chilli
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Method
1. Peel and slice the onion, ginger and garlic clove – reserving 1 garlic clove for the dressing.
2. Peel and cut all the vegetables into bite size pieces. (The carrots, pumpkin/butternut squash, parsnip, cauliflower, and swede.)
3. Make the lemon peel: Peel the lemon and finely chop the skin (Pro tip: you can use a potato peeler if you have one.)
4. Roughly chop the apricots.
5. Boil a kettle full of water (which will be used to boil the vegetables, and the pearl barley later on.)
6. In a large saucepan with a lid, heat 2-4 tbsp of oil over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add and sauté the onion, ginger and garlic for 5 minutes until golden brown.
7. Next, add the vegetables and lemon peel, and then coat with the berber spice.
8. Once evenly coated, pour in 1 litre of boiled water, and stir to combine.
9. Next, add the harissa paste and tomato puree. Stir to combine.
10. Lastly, add the apricots, and reduce the heat so it simmers for around 20-30 mins. Add salt for taste.
11. Halfway through, check the vegetables which should be nice and tender. You should be able to pierce a knife through them.
12. Meanwhile put the pearl barley into a separate pan with a lid, and pour in 240ml of boiled water to make barley couscous. Cover and leave for 10 minutes.
13. For the dressing: finely chop the chilli, garlic clove and the coriander – discarding the stalks.
14. Pour 4 tbsp of oil into a small bowl, squeeze the whole lemon in, and mix in the coriander, remaining garlic and chilli. Set aside. 15. Finally, portion the couscous and vegetables onto a plate. Pour the dressing on top and tuck in.
Provide Iftaar to the Needy this Ramadan
Those of us who are lucky enough to indulge in such recipes must be conscious of our blessings and work to assist those who aren’t as fortunate. Be sure to donate to Orphans in Need this Ramadan to provide starving individuals across the world with a nutritious Iftaar. No one deserves to go hungry; enable us to make a difference today.
