Moroccan Beef and Date Tagine with Chickpea & Carrots

Start by preparing your ingredients: finely chop the red onion; chop the carrot; finely chop the fresh mint; halve the dates; drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set these prepared ingredients aside.

Prepare the beef stock by combining each stock cube with 450-500ml of boiling water, stirring until dissolved. Measure out 180ml of stock per person and set aside.

In a large pot or tagine, heat the olive oil (1 tablespoon per person) over medium heat. Add the finely chopped red onion and cook until it starts to soften and become fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the beef mince to the pot. Cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it is browned and no longer pink.

Stir in the tagine spices, tomato paste, the prepared beef stock, chopped carrots, halved dates, golden raisins, and the drained chickpeas. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

Cover the pot and let the tagine simmer gently for 25-30 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and the sauce has thickened. If the sauce becomes too dry, add a splash of water to adjust the consistency.

While the tagine is simmering, prepare the couscous according to the package instructions. Typically, this involves adding boiling water to the couscous, covering, and letting it sit for 5 minutes, then fluffing with a fork.

Juice half an orange per person and stir the orange juice into the tagine once the cooking is complete. Season the tagine with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the Moroccan beef and date tagine hot over the prepared couscous. Garnish with the finely chopped fresh mint and almond flakes for added flavor and texture.