Eggplant tagine with halloumi and harissa

Aromatic spices, harissa paste, hearty chickpeas, and eggplant are braised in a tomato broth and topped with fried halloumi for a wholesome and satisfying vegetarian main dish.

Serves 6, 30 minutes prep time and 1.5 hour cook time. 

Ras el Hanout and harissa paste

In this tagine recipe, we’re making our own Ras el Hanout – a spice blend whose Arabic name literally translates to “Top of the Shop”, likely referring to the spice merchants’ blends of their best spices.  Like garam masala and berbere, the spices used can vary greatly.  The mix listed in this recipe includes spices that are common to bakers who also make chili or Indian food.  Other spices often listed in Ras el Hanout recipes (but not in this one) include cardamom pods, nigella seeds, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, saffron, mace, and black pepper.  Whatever you end up using (or leave out), your mix should smell heady and warm.  To me, it should smell like the friendliest hospitality. 

Harissa paste is also used here to add depth, heat and richness to the stew.  Harissa paste is a Tunisian hot pepper paste that is fortified with garlic, coriander seeds and other spices, which gives it a sharp and lemony flavour.  You are welcome to use more than indicated.  Again, pastes vary widely so taste it before using.  I bought mine below from a convenience store nearby, and it’s very sharp. 

This stew is cooked in a completely sealed environment so that the flavour from the steam does not escape.  If you have a tagine to cook this namesake recipe, go for it.  If you don’t, use a casserole dish with a tightfitting lid; or a deep baking dish that is tightly covered with foil.   

Tagines often include bone-in meat, like chicken or lamb.  This particular recipe, however, is vegetarian.  The eggplant and pepper are gently cooked to integrate the flavours without causing the pieces to break apart into mush.  If you decide to add meat, increase the cooking time.  

To keep the tagine from getting too watery and to boost its flavour, the eggplant is salted and sautéed before being incorporated with the rest of the ingredients. 

Peeling the chickpeas (excuse me, what?)

The canned chickpeas are peeled in this recipe.  Although this step is not mandatory, doing so results in the creamiest chickpeas and a more integrated stew (by the way, if you make Maghmour — a.k.a. Lebanese moussaka — at home, the peeled chickpeas are awesome there too).  There are a few hacks on the internet on how you can peel chickpeas quickly, but I find that it’s possible to peel the required chickpeas in about 10-15 minutes by hand, and with minimal cleanup.  Hold a small number of chickpeas in one hand, while pinching the casing off of each chickpea with the other, letting the chickpeas roll off your hand and into a bowl below.  If you give up after half the chickpeas, that’s fine too.