CHICKPEA STEW with COUSCOUS

4 Servings            

1 c. dry garbanzo beans (chickpeas), soaked 24 hrs 1 heaping cup chopped onion ¾ cup mushrooms, sliced 2 carrots, chopped ¼ red bell pepper, chopped 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt ½ - 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen) ½ cup (packed) currants

1 pound fresh clams, steamed then shelled Dash of cayenne, to taste 1 cup chopped, toasted cashews ¼ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp cloves   [Optional: turmeric, coriander, ¼  cup slivered almonds, ¼  cup pitted dates-finely chopped] 1¼ cup dry couscous 1 cup orange juice (optional)

Stew

Cook garbanzo beans (chickpeas) until done, about 1½ hours. Then drain, saving the liquid.

When beans are done, sauté in olive oil with lemon juice: onion, mushrooms, carrots, red bell pepper.

Simmer a few minutes in a covered saucepan: drained cooked chickpeas, sautéed vegetables, all remaining ingredients above. Add some broth from the chickpeas to give a stew-like consistency.

Couscous

While stew simmers, boil 3 cups water. (Up to 1 cup of water can be replaced by orange juice.) Then add 1¼ cup couscous. [Optional: add ¼ cup dried cranberries.] Simmer covered for about 5 minutes, till done.

Serve stew over couscous on a platter.

Inspired by The Enchanted Broccoli Forest and my travels in Tunisia.

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