I always order the exact same dish at my favorite restaurants. There?s something so reassuring and predictable about it. I know what I eat is going to be absolutely delicious. No surprises, no disappointments.
Once in a while, though, I tip toe outside my comfort zone. I should probably do this more often, because I pretty much always love when I get. This happened last week when my sister and I went out to lunch for my birthday at Lula Café. It?s one of the more popular restaurants in Logan Square (for a good reason), so I tend to avoid it on weekends when the line is out the door.

Every time I dine at Lula I order the peanut satay noodles ? without fail. They?re incredibly good. I?m a little noodled out lately (see last week?s recipe for Vegan Pad Thai) so I went with their sweet potato and chickpea tagine served with a big hunk of grilled bread for dipping. It was probably the best choice I made all week. In fact, that meal was so good I immediately started developing my own version using my Instant Pot, which is what you see here.
Tagine is a North African dish traditionally made with meat and vegetables, slow-cooked in a shallow earthenware pot by the same name. Lula used sweet potato, but I went with winter squash for a slightly more seasonal approach. I did borrow their idea for serving tagine with pickled golden raisins, which add a delightful punch to every bite.

Spooned over a bed of fluffy gluten-free sorghum, which looks like pearled couscous, and flecked wi...