Traditional Jewish tzimmes
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 1 to 2 hours
- Serve
- Serves 4
This classic Jewish stew is sweetened with dried fruit and maple syrup.
Ingredients
For the koftas
- 350g/12oz plant-based mince (or vegan burgers, crumbled)
- 5 dried apricots, finely chopped
- 1 small red onion, finely chopped
- handful fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped, plus extra to garnish
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil, for frying
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the tzimmes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into thick rounds
- handful baby carrots
- 270g/9½oz dried apricots (or mixture of dried fruits like prunes or raisins)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 250ml/9fl oz orange juice
- 375ml/13fl oz vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1–2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 orange, zest only (optional)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the koftas, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Mix all of the ingredients for the koftas in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into long, oval kofta shapes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the koftas on each side until browned.
Transfer to a baking tray and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Set aside.
To make the tzimmes, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the onion for about 5 minutes until soft and golden.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the carrots and baby carrots and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the apricots, maple syrup, cinnamon and ginger. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper and mix well.
Add the orange juice, vegetable broth, bay leaf, thyme and orange zest (if using). Stir to combine.
Bring the mixture to the boil. Add the koftas to the pan (or add them at the end if preferred as the texture will change during cooking). Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 30–40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
Serve, topping with the koftas if they haven’t already been added, and garnish with the parsley.
