This is a take on an Ottolenghi dish that Tom’s been cooking in different forms for a while.
Braised pumpkin and chickpeas with preserved lemon harissa and brown rice

Cook time: 45 minutes
couple, family
Ingredients
Instructions
1
Slice the onion and mince the garlic.
In a large pot, saute the onion for 2 minutes, until lightly caramelised.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Add the garlic to the pot with a good pinch of salt and a good pinch of sugar (this will bring out the natural sweetness in the onion), then cook for another 2 minutes.
Place a small pot of salted water on to boil for the brown rice.
2
Next, crush the cardamom pods to release the seeds using the back of a knife. Discard the pods.
After cooking the garlic, add the cardamom and cumin and a good crack of black pepper. Toast for a minute, then add the water and the preserved lemon harissa. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Dice the pumpkin into 4 cm cubes.
3
Toss the pumpkin in a little salt and oil, then roast for 20 minutes, until brown.
Cook the brown rice in the boiling salted water for about 20 minutes. Once cooked, strain and keep warm.
4
Slice the dried apricot.
5
Open and strain the chickpeas, add them to the pot and mash some of them with a fork to help thicken the liquid. Add the sliced apricots, then turn up the heat to reduce the liquid.
6
Remove the coriander leaves from the stalk. Set aside the leaves and finely chop the stalk and add to the pot.
Add the pumpkin to the pot and turn the heat to low. Stir in the minty yoghurt and check the seasoning and add more salt, as needed.
Serve the brown rice topped with braised pumpkin and finish coriander leaves.