Couscous with Chickpeas and Vegetables

1/2 cup chickpeas -- dried

2 tablespoons virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic -- crushed

1 onion -- chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 carrots -- sliced 1/4"

4 baby turnips

4 cups sweet potato -- chunks

1 cup tomato juice -- or less

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

3 sliced zucchini (courgettes)

1/4 cup dried apricots

8 button mushrooms

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

salt -- to taste freshly ground black pepper -- to taste 1 cup water

1 1/3 cups couscous -- instant

3 tablespoons golden raisins -- (sultanas)

chopped chives -- for garnish yellow rose petals -- for garnish, optional

PREPARATION (2 hours or overnight) - Rinse peas and sort. Place in a bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for a t least 1 hour or overnight. Drain, place in a large saucepan and cover with fresh water. Cover (lid) and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until tender, about 1 hour. Drain and set aside.

COOKING (40 minutes) - Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, cinnamon, paprika and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 3 minutes. - Add the carrots, turnips and sweet potatoes and cook, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes. - Add the tomato juice and stock and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the chickpeas, okra/squash, apricots, mushrooms and parsley and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Season to taste with the salt and pepper. - Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the couscous and sultanas and mix well with a fork. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 2 minutes to allow pasta to swell. Add the remaining oil to center of the couscous, return pan to heat and cook over medium heat, stirring until heated through, about 4 minutes. - Spoon couscous around the edge of a serving dish. Garnish with the chives. Spoon chickpea and vegetable mixture in the center and sprinkle with rose petals, if using. Serve immediately.

490 cals | 10 g of fat. ----- VARIATIONS (seasonal ingredients) water and a low-sodium vegetable bouillon 1/2 cup V8 plus 2 cups water 4 ounces of okra instead of zucchini rutabaga instead of turnips yellow and green summer squash instead of 1 color Use 1 yam and 1 russet, white potato for the sweet potato Use 16 ounced canned chickpeas; drain, rinse ----- Serve with ripe tomatoes, chopped; blanched okra, sliced; toss with a vinaigrette spiced with ground corriander seed. Nectarine slices. Iced tea.

[Recipes by Anne Marshall (1996). New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang. Over 100 recipes from the Cuisines of 13 countries. mcRecipe/patH.22Au96]