African Vegetable Stew
Our African Vegetable Stew comes to you courtesy of ingredients merging from all over the world to be incorporated into one tasty and deliciously spiced dish. Chickpeas, also known as Garbanzo beans, are an ingredient used all over the African continent, as beans are a relatively easy to grow and sustainable protein source that is neutral in tasting and versatile enough for a variety of dishes.
The other vegetables in this dish are a congregation of vegetables that have found their way into African kitchens from various regions- Parsnips are a vegetable that are sometimes associated with Morocco, where our Moroccan Vegetable Rub takes inspiration from, zucchini (summer squash) and tomatoes is grown in South Africa as a part of their colorful diet. Like North America, only a small number of vegetables now eaten by Africans today actually originate from the continent- though some crops were introduced by friendly trading, it is far more likely that most of the diversity culinarily experienced is a result of centuries of repeated colonization by European settlers who introduced (or forced) their preferences to different areas.
Our stew was served over a pile of couscous, a North African type of small, granular semolina pasta that people often think is a kind of grain. You can also serve it over rice, noodles, or roasted sweet potatoes. If you're looking for other North African-inspired dishes, Harissa Chicken is complex and spicy and has a bit more heat than anything you'd make with our Moroccan Vegetable Seasoning.
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon diced jalapeno pepper
- 2 zucchinis, sliced thin
- 2 parsnips, slice thin
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 Tablespoon Moroccan Vegetable Rub
- 1 16 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
- 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 cup water
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven and sauté onions and jalapenos until softened.
- Add zucchini, parsnips, onion, and sweet potato and stir to combine.
- Add Moroccan Vegetable Rub, and stir to combine.
- Add garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and water.
- Simmer for 30-35 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Serve over rice or couscous, or with a side of crusty bread.
