Baharat Roasted Cauliflower with Crispy Chickpeas and Couscous Salad

Suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower, 
• 3 tbsp baharat spice mix (if you cant find this in the shops, see recipe below), 
• 1 can chickpeas (400g), 
• 2 tsp turmeric, 
• 0.5 cup couscous, 
• 2 tsp cumin, 
• 2 tsp dried oregano, 
• 1 tsp dried mint, 
• 1 cucumber, finely diced, 
• 0.5 red onion, finely diced, 
• 4 tbsp finely chopped parsley, 
• sumac to garnish.

For baharat spice mix:

• 1 tbsp ground cumin, 
• 1 tbsp ground coriander, 
• 2 tsp hot paprika, 
• 0.5 tsp ground cloves, 
• 0.5 tsp cinnamon, 
• 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg.

Method:

• Start by making the crispy chickpeas. Preheat an oven to 180 C. Drain and wash the chickpeas and place them in a bowl. Add the 2 tsp of turmeric along with 2 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Line an oven tray with greaseproof paper and spread the chickpeas out on the tray, making sure as much as you can that they are not touching or clumping together. Place the tray in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until slightly brown and crispy.
• Remove the chickpeas from the oven and let cool on the rack. They will get crispier as they cool.
• Meanwhile, cut down the cauliflower into small florets. Place them in a bowl and toss with the baharat spice mix, along with 2-3 tbsp of olive oil and salt and pepper. Spread the cauliflower out in an oven dish. Drizzle with some additional oil.
• Once the chickpeas are out of the oven, crank the temperature up to 200 C and place the cauliflower in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes or until the florets are soft in the middle and very charred and crispy on the edges.
• While the cauliflower is cooking, make the couscous. In a bowl, combine half a cup of couscous with the cumin, dried oregano, and dried mint. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and season well with slat and pepper. Add 1 cup of boiling water and cover the bowl with cling wrap or a tight lid. Let the couscous absorb the water and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff up the couscous with a fork. Add the cucumber, raw onion, and parsley and mix.
• To serve, combine the couscous with the crispy chickpeas while still warm. Add the cauliflower on top and garnish with Sumac. This is also lovely with a scoop of yogurt or hummus.