Chickpea Tagine

Ingredients

• 1 bag dried chickpeas
• 2 Tbs. salt
• 4 quarts water
• 2 Tbs. butter or extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbs. Hungarian sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 Tbs. fresh grated ginger (or the stuff in the Gourmet Garden tubes or, in a pinch, 1 1/2 tsp. dried)
• 1/4 to 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 lb. bag peeled baby carrots plus another quarter of a bag
• 1 15-oz. can or box of chopped tomatoes
• 5 green cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup raisins

Directions

1. The night before you cook, dissolve the salt in the water. Soak the beans overnight.
2. When you are ready to cook, drain the chickpeas, rinsing well. Heat the butter or oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion in the butter or olive oil until soft and beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and Aleppo pepper and saute, stirring, for another 30 seconds. Stir in the flour, which will give your vegetables a slightly pasty appearance.
3. Once the flour is completely distributed over the onions and spices, add your broth, stirring, until no lumps of flour remain. Add to pot with the drained chickpeas, carrots, tomatoes, cardamom, cinnamon stick and raisins.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 to two hours, until chickpeas are tender and flavorful.
5. Serve with rice or crusty bread, or as a side dish.