Ingredients:
1 kg (2 lbs. 3 oz.) dry couscous (not instant)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 kg (2 lbs. 3 oz.) lamb or beef, cut into large pieces on the bone (or 1 whole chicken)
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 tomatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric, or 1/4 teaspoon Moroccan yellow colorant
1 handful of parsley and cilantro sprigs, tied into a bouquet
1/2 of a small cabbage, cut into 2 or 3 sections
3 or 4 turnips, peeled and halved
10 carrots, peeled and halved
1 or 2 tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1 or 2 small onions, whole or halved
1 small acorn squash, quartered (or a small section of pumpkin, cut into 3″ pieces)
4 or 5 small zucchini (long or 8-ball round), ends removed and halved
2 or 3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and halved (optional)
1/4 cup dry chickpeas, soaked overnight (optional)
1/2 cup fresh fava beans (optional)
1 or 2 jalapeño or chili peppers (optional)*
2 tablespoons butter (for the couscous)
1 tablespoon salt (for the couscous)
1 teaspoon smen (Moroccan preserved butter – optional)
Preparation
- Take a couscoussier and cook meat, onion, tomatoes, and spices in oil on a medium heat for 15 minutes.
- Now add 2 1/2 liters (about 2 1/2 quarts) of water, the parsley/cilantro bouquet, and the chick peas. Cover and boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.
- During meat is cooked, ready couscous for first steaming. Grease steamer basket and set aside.
- Toss couscous in a bowl with ¼ cup oil. Toss couscous in water then. Transfer couscous to steamer basket.
- Add cabbage to broth and put steamer basket over. Steam couscous for 15 minutes.
- Transfer couscous into bowl and break it apart.
- For 2nd steaming, toss couscous in 2 cups of water and 1 tbsp salt, with hands. Put couscous back into steamer and add turnips, tomatoes, onions, carrots and fava beans (if using) to the pot. Put steamer basket over. Steam couscous for 15 minutes again.
- Transfer couscous into bowl and break it apart. If using pumpkin, add it to the couscoussier, and cover the pot.
- For 3rd steaming, toss couscous in 3 cups water and salt. Put half of it into basket. Add squash, zucchini, and sweet potatoes to the couscoussier, and put the steamer basket on top.
- Once steam is seen coming from couscous, add remaining couscous to basket and keep cooking for 15 to 20 minutes. If you’re using smen, add it to the sauce in the pot.
- For serving, Put couscous into a bowl and break it. Add 2 tbsp butter and 2 ladles broth.
- Make a well in center of couscous and fill well with meat. Put vegetables all over. Pour broth over it.
