TUNISIAN BEAN AND CHICKPEA STEW

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dried Navy Beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 1 cup Chickpeas, soaked overnight and drained
• 6 cups water
• 380 gm Onions chopped
• 4 Garlic cloves, minced
• 450 gm Tomatoes chopped
• 250 gm Pumpkin peeled and cut into 1cm cubed
• 4 tsp  Harissa, Youcan buy it at Middle Eastern stores or make it yourself
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley for garnish

METHOD

1. I never plan ahead, so I didn’t have pre-soaked beans. I did the fast soak in the pressure cooker instead: cover the beans and Chickpeas by about 5 cm of water in your p.c., bring it up to high pressure, and cook for 3 mins at high pressure. Then allow the pressure to come down naturally. Drain and proceed with the recipe.
2. Place the drained beans and Chickpeas into the pressure cooker with the water. Bring to high pressure and cook for 12 mins. Allow pressure to come down naturally. On the stove-top, cook until the beans are soft, adding more water as necessary. Allow about 2 hours for this.
3. While the beans are cooking, heat a non-stick or well-seasoned frying pan, and sauté onions until they are beginning to brown. Stir in the Garlic and Tomatoes, and cook for another 10. Add the Tomato mixture, Pumpkin, Harissa, and seasonings to the beans, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat until Pumpkin is very tender, about 30 mins. Add more water if necessary. Serve sprinkled with Parsley.