Seitan stew with raisins over couscous

A mix of sweet and salty, different textures, spices. A warming meal for a cold night.

Seitan stew with raisins and couscous

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, peeled and in cut half moons
• 1/2 courgette, in 1cm cubes
• 200 gr seitan, in bitesized pieces
• 3/4 tsp ras el hanout
• 1 small tin tomato concentrate (70 gr)
• 30 gr raisins
• 120 gr (dry weight) couscous
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp dry parsley (or 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

For the stew:

1. Put the raisins in a heat resistant bowl, and cover with boiling water.
2. In a broad pan, heat up the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook on medium heat until golden. Add the carrot, and cook until it turns golden, several minutes. Add the courgette and cook for a few minutes. Add seitan and cook for another couple of minutes, stirring.
3. Add the ras el hanout, and season with salt and pepper. Stir and let the spices cook for about 30 seconds, to release the flavor.
4. Add the tomato paste and about 2-3 tbsp of water to dissolve it. Stir well. Add the raisins and their soaking water. Bring stew to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

For the couscous:

1. Place couscous in a heat resistant bowl. Add pinch of salt, pinch of black pepper, garlic powder and dry parsley. (If using fresh parsley, add once the couscous is cooked).
2. Bring water to a boil. Measure 150 ml (the same volume as the couscous), and pour over the couscous. Let couscous soak the water for several minutes.
3. Once all water has been absorbed, fluff couscous with a fork before serving warm with the stew.

Servings: 2 servings

Nutritional information:

Calories: 537
Protein: 40 gr
Fat: 7 gr
Carbs: 81 gr

Ras El Hanout is a spice blend used in Morocco and other North African countries. There is no definitive recipe for it, but commonly it will contain cardamom, clove, cinnamon, ground chilli peppers, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, peppercorn and turmeric. If you can’t find it, just use a mix of the spices above.