Moroccan tomato & chickpea soup with couscous

alternative soup blended soup grains healthy hot lunchtime main meal north african spice mix spicy storecupboard thrifty tomato soup

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Ingredients

75g couscous

3 tbsp olive oil

750ml low-sodium hot vegetable stock

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, chopped into small cubes

4 garlic cloves, crushed

half a finger of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1-2 tbsp ras-el-hanout

1 tbsp harissa paste, plus extra to serve

400g tin chopped tomato

400g tin chickpea

juice ½ lemon

roughly chopped coriander, to serve

Method

Tip the couscous into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and stir through 1 tbsp of the oil. Pour over enough hot stock just to cover and cover the bowl with cling film and set aside.

Heat the rest of the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion and carrot gently for 8 mins until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 mins more then stir in the ras el hanout and harissa and cook for another minute. Pour in the tomatoes and stock and give everything a good stir. Season, add the chickpeas and simmer everything gently for 20 mins until thickened slightly then squeeze over the lemon.

Uncover the couscous and fluff up with a fork. Spoon the soup into bowls, top each with a mound of couscous, scatter with coriander and serve with extra harissa for those who want it.