Chickpea tagine is a sumptuous, hearty dish. It centers on chickpeas, a protein-rich legume. While meat versions of tagine are common, this vegetarian version emphasizes the value of produce and spices. I chose to use zucchini and dates to create a lovely contrast between salty and sweet, a hallmark of many Moroccan dishes.The use of a chickpea base not only saturates the dish with protein, but also makes this dish suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
If using dried chickpeas, soak them overnight. The next day, drain the water and rinse the chickpeas, drain the liquid. Finely chop the garlic.
Cut zucchini into quarters and then into slices about 1 cm thick. Slice the carrots in the same way. Put the vegetables in a bowl and set aside.
Cut the large onion into large dice. Finely chop the cilantro stems and leave the leaves to decorate the dish.
Remove the pith from the dates and chop coarsely with a knife.
In a saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and fry the onion, coriander stems and garlic, then add the carrots and zucchini and stir. Add the spices: ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and paprika. Stir everything and reduce the heat slightly. Now add 1 can of diced tomatoes.
Add broth or water, chickpeas, grated lemon zest, salt. Stir and cook under a lid for 30 minutes (if dried chickpeas, 1-1.5 hours), add chopped dates near the end of cooking. Correct the dish to taste with salt/lemon juice.
Serve with yogurt, garnished with cilantro leaves.