Clay Pot Spiced Vegetable Stew

I don't rave about many stews, but this one I shall. The carrot and parsnip were perfectly cooked, the chick peas melted in the mouth and the Bulgur wheat gave it that extra texture and the fat red fiery looking chillies gave it that background heat. I can't believe its only taken me two yeas to make it again.

This is one of those stews that you should 'Eat as it is'. I don't think it needs an accompaniment like bread, as the Bulgur wheat, little as it is, does bulk up the stew and fill you up.
I made this in my black clay pot, so it could be served straight from the oven to the table. It can also be made in an ovenproof casserole dish, even a slow cooker if you have one. It is really a straight forward recipe and one to make when you have other things to be getting on with, indoors or outdoors. Just place all the ingredients into the pot, give it a stir now and again, and then add the final ingredients 30 minutes before serving. As the domestic goddess Nigella Lawson would say 'how easy is that!.

Clay Pot Spiced Vegetable StewServes 4 - 6
Ingredients
900ml or 1 ½ pint vegetable stock
1 onion, finely sliced
2 – 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 parsnip, peeled and sliced
1 x 400g tin of tomatoes, roughly chopped
50g bulghur wheat
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 - 4 fat red chillies, pierced
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 x 400g tin of chick peas

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Optional: drizzle with some good olive oil

Method
In a oven proof casserole dish or clay pot add the vegetables, tomatoes, olive oil, bulghur wheat, whole red chillies, herbs and spices and pour over the hot stock. Cover with a tight fitting lid and bake in the oven at mark 4 for 2 hours. Remove the lid and stir in the beans and tomato paste. Cover and return to the oven for a further 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Remove the stew from the oven and season to taste. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving sprinkled with the chopped parsley and optional drizzling of good olive oil. Adapted from Vegetarian Good House-keeping.