Couscous with vegetables

Try experimenting with different vegetables as they come into season.

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
6-8 tablespoons	olive oil
2	garlic cloves, crushed
1	small eggplant
1 teaspoon	salt
1 teaspoon	ground cumin
	freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon	ground ginger
1	bay leaf
1-2	fresh red chillies
4	medium carrots, scraped, cut into quarters lengthwise, then across into 5 cm lengths
4	zucchini, cut the same size as the carrots
200g	green beans, topped, (optional)
500g	potatoes, peeled and cut into 5 cm lengths, (optional)
500g	instant couscous

Heat half the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan. Add the garlic and eggplant and sauté for 1–2 minutes, until softened. Add salt, cumin, black pepper, ginger and bay leaf and stir well. Add the whole chillies and vegetables with just enough water to cover Bring to the boil, cover, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, prepare couscous according to manufacturer’s instructions then, when ready to serve, place the swollen couscous in a heavy-based pan to moisten with the remaining oil. Reheat gently and fluff up the couscous occasionally with a fork, until ready. To serve, pile the couscous onto a large serving platter and pile the vegetables into the centre, removing the chillies. Serve immediately with harissa, a Moroccan spice paste, if liked.