Ingredients

The following ingredients have 2 Servings
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas (about 1 cup dry)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2-3 tsp harissa paste (oil drained)
  • salt, to taste
  • 1 head of garlic
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small red onion
  • ¾ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp harissa paste
  • 1 x 400 g / 14 oz can quality chopped tomatoes
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme or a pinch of dried
  • ½ tsp salt, adjust to taste
  • pepper, to taste
  • 180 g / 6 oz fire-roasted peppers in a jar (I used 2 large)
  • 2 tsp date syrup, sugar or 1-2 Medjool dates, adjust to taste
  • 240 ml / 1 cup veggie stock or a veggie stock cube
  • vegan cream, shop-bought or homemade, to garnish (optional)
  • fresh parsley, to garnish

Instruction

  • Drain the chickpeas, spread them on a large plate or tray and allow them to air dry, if you have time. If you are in a rush, blot them on a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
  • Heat up a heavy-bottomed pan on a medium-high heat. Pour 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the hot pan and wait a few seconds for the oil to heat up.
  • Chuck the drained chickpeas into the hot oil. Stir the chickpeas from time to time so that they don't burn.
  • Mix the harissa paste (let the oil drain away for a few seconds after measuring it out, a fork is useful here) into the chickpeas and sprinkle them with salt.
  • Keep on roasting the chickpeas until they are evenly coated in harissa. Taste and adjust the amount of salt if necessary. Take off the heat and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 205° C / 400° F.
  • Cut the top off the garlic and drizzle the exposed cloves with a little bit of olive oil.
  • Wrap the garlic in a piece of foil covering the entire bulb and stick it into the oven for about 40 minutes, until the cloves get soft and sticky.
  • Heat up 1 tbsp of oil at the bottom of a medium size pot.
  • Add the diced red onion and fry on a low heat until almost translucent, stirring from time to time.
  • Mix in the smoked paprika and harissa paste. Fry them off gently for another minute on a low heat, stirring frequently.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes, thyme, salt and a good grind of black pepper.
  • Place the drained roasted peppers into a blender and add the squeezed roasted garlic flesh. Blend until smooth with a splash of water if needed. You could also add a sticky Medjool date to balance the flavours if you'd rather avoid adding sugar.
  • Add roasted red pepper and garlic puree to the tomatoes. Allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer.
  • Add a splash of stock / water to achieve the consistency you like and adjust the spicing to your taste. I've added a bit of homemade date syrup to balance the acidity.
  • Divide between two bowls. Serve topped with the spiced chickpeas, vegan cream (optional) and fresh parsley.