Moroccan Spiced Couscous With Fruits - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 lb couscous
1 cup vegetable stock
1 pinch saffron thread
2 ounces dried apricots, roughly chopped
2 ounces dates, pitted and roughly chopped
2 ounces raisins
1 pinch chili powder, preferably Kashmiri chilli powder
2 tablespoons lemon oil or 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lemon, juice of
14 ounces chickpeas, drained and rinsed
handful fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
2 1/2 ounces sliced almonds
salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400F/200C/400\u00b0F Put the couscous in an ovenproof dish. Mix the stock, saffron, apricots, dates and raisins in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour the hot stock and fruit over the couscous. Add just enough boiling water to cover the grains, but do not flood them. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Fluff up the couscous with a fork and season it with salt, pepper and chili powder to taste. Drizzle the lemon or olive oil and lemon juice over and add the chickpeas. Mix the ingredients well, then cover the dish.
Bake the couscous for 15 minutes. Fluff up the grains, stir in the mint and coriander and return the couscous to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Meanwhile, dry fry the almonds in a heavy based frying pan over a moderate heat, turning or stirring frequently for 5 minutes until they are golden. Scatter almonds over the couscous and serve immediately.