Meatless Monday : Sweet Spiced Potatoes with Cauliflower and Pumpkin

Beautiful fresh cauliflower is perfect for this dish with sweet spiced potatoes and pumpkin

My friend Martyna The Wholesome Cook, reminded me via a Twitter message that today is 'Meatless Monday'. 

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So, here's my contribution.  There is no pretence with this dish.  It’s simple, filling and deliciously flavoursome!  A combination of mixed potatoes, pumpkin and cauliflower — teamed with aromatic spices and served on a bed of couscous.

SWEET SPICED POTATOES WITH CAULIFLOWER AND PUMPKIN
60g butter or margarine
800g-1kg vegetables: (include potatoes, pink & white sweet potatoes, butternut pumpkin and cauliflower)
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1.5 cups vegetable stock
spices: 1/2 teaspoon each coriander powder, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fenugreek, chilli flakes, turmeric and cardamom pods

Peel the potatoes and pumpkin, and cut into small chunks.  Cut the cauliflower into small florets.  Wash and set aside. Combine the spices in a mortar and grind well with pestle.  Use what you need for this recipe and store the remainder, refrigerated, in a tightly sealed jar.  Or, use a good curry blend.

Heat butter/margarine in a wok or frypan and fry the onion and garlic until golden.  Add the spices and stir for a minute or two until fragrances are released.  Stir in the chunks of potato and pumpkin, then add the cauliflower florets.  Add the stock and stir carefully, ensuring all vegetables are covered with the stock. Cover, reduce heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.  Serve with a bowl of fluffy couscous.  Serves 4-6.

COUSCOUS
A staple in indigenous North African cooking, couscous is a pasta similar in texture to cracked wheat. Traditionally, couscous is steamed over a stew (in a “couscousier”) and, when plump and tender, served with meat or vegetables.  Quick-cooking couscous in available in supermarkets and delis.

250g couscous
250mls water
1 tablespoon light olive oil
 a little butter
sultanas and flaked almonds

Bring the water to boil in a saucepan.  Add the oil and remove from hotplate.  Stir in couscous and allow to plump up.  Using a fork, fold in the butter and separate the grains.  Return to heat very briefly.  Serve in a bowl, garnished with sultanas and almonds.  Serves 4.

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Butternut pumpkin lovely with sweet spices