Chickpea Tagine

1 pound dried chickpeas

1 28 ounce can whole tomatoes

2 tablespoons oil

1 large red onion, julienned

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 yellow bell pepper, julienned

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon ras el hanout

Salt and pepper

cilantro (optional)

Boil the chickpeas in salted water until they are tender. (This will take a while, but you can speed it up by soaking the chickpeas in the refrigerator overnight.) Reserve the cooking liquid.

Quarter the tomatoes and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 7 - 10 minutes. Add the garlic, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ras el hanout, and stir well. Add the tomatoes and juice from the tomatoes, and stir well. Let the mixture simmer for about an hour, until the tomatoes “melt”. Add the cooked chickpeas and about a cup of the cooking liquid. Simmer for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.