Chickpea & Squash Tagine

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and sweat gently for 10–15 minutes until turning translucent and tinged golden.

At this point, add all the spices and bay leaves to the onion mixture. Cook for a minute, then add the squash. Toss it in the spices to coat, tip in the chickpeas (along with their liquid), tomatoes and apricots. Top up the pan with enough water to just cover the vegetables, then season. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a low heat for 55–65 minutes until the sauce has thickened a little and the vegetables are tender. Give it a stir now and then to check nothing is sticking and that it hasn’t dried out. When serving, carefully remove the bay leaves.

Serve on piles of couscous or rice with a sprinkling of chopped coriander, if you like.