Instructions: Chop onion, carrots, garlic, tomatos. Separate cauliflower into florets.

Cut potato into chunks. If using dried apricots, cut in half. Put all vegetables including drained and rinsed chick peas (garbanzos) into a large saucepan, cover with water. Season with salt and pepper, and, if possible, with ground cumin and coriander seed and perhaps some fresh coriander (cilantro). Do use any vegetables you have available; apart from the onion and chick peas (garbanzos), the list is descriptive not prescriptive. Bring to boil and simmer for about half an hour, until everything is cooked.

Meanwhile, cook couscous according to the instructions on the packet.

When ready, put on plate and put vegetables on top. Couscous is traditionally served with a hot chilli and garlic sauce, called harissa, but any hot chilli sauce will do. I use a West Indian pepper sauce widely available in Britain; Im sure there are similar ones all over the world! You buy harissa in tubes - I havent seen it here, but its available in every French supermarket, and Ive stocked up!!!

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.