Couscous

   Couscous is the dish that symbolizes peace.  Couscous not only looks beautiful

   or it tastes really delicious,also its cultural and historical significance makes it the perfect dish.

   Cooking and eating couscous is a ritual and a tradition that binds the generations together.

Ingredients

Beef meat (or lamb meat) (500 gr)

Couscous grains (500 gr)

Tomatoes (300gr)

Carrots (300gr)

Cabbage(300gr)

Zucchini (300gr)

Pumpkin(300gr)

Fresh ginger ( 1 spoon)

Ras al hanout (1 spoon)

Cumin (1 spoon)

Paprika (1 spoon)

White turnips (250gr)

Onions (300gr)

Garlic(1 or 2 cloves)

Saffron (few strands)

Fresh rosemary leaves or any fine herb

Smen(salted fermented butter)

salt and pepper (to taste)

And of course, we need an important utensil: a couscoussier. If  it is not possible ,you can use this.

Directions

1.Mix the meat with 1 spoon of “ras al hanout”,1glove of garlic,1 spoon of grated fresh ginger,1spoon of olive oil,and rosemary.Cover and leave aside.

2.Peel and cut all the vegetables, squeeze tomatoes

Put the saffron in a small bowl,Add ½ l of warm water and leave to soak.

3.Heat oil in the bottom of the couscoussier, add the meat

.After 5 minutes,add the onions and stir.

.After 3 minutes,add the spices,cumin,paprika.Stir.

.After 1 minute,add the tomato juice.Stir.

.After 6 minutes,cover with water and stir.

It would more tasty,if we use meat broth instead of water.It is easy to prepare :

 Place some bones(beef or lamb bones,cooked or raw) in a stockpot, cover with water and cook over a medium heat for about 2 hours.Remove the scum/foam that rises to the top. Filter the broth through a fine sift.And this is a very tasty broth.

.After 23 minutes,add carrots, turnips,salt ,pepper,cover with water and stir.

.After 12 minutes, now add the cabbage and stir.

.After 24 minutes,add the pumpkin, zucchini,and stir.

.After 22 minutes, Once pumpkin and zucchini are soft, turn off heat.

5. With a fine sift,separate the broth from the vegetables and the meat,And put again only the broth in the bottom of the couscoussier.

6. Put the 500 gr couscous grains in a large bowl,add ½ l of the water with saffron

And stir. Leave to stand for 1minute. This enables the grains to absorb the liquid.

Stir with a spoon,and put the couscous into the steamer basket.

Place the steamer basket on top,steam for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes,empty the basket back into the large bowl.Add the”smen” and stir

to better disperse the flavor and achieve a uniform texture.

Transfer the couscous back into the steamer,and steam for another 10 minutes.

When the couscous has steamed for 10 minutes, turn it out into the large bowl again. Break it apart, and leave to cool a few minutes.

7. To serve the couscous,mold it into a volcano shape with a hole in the middle.And arrange the vegetables on top and all around,the meat on top.Distribute the broth evenly over the couscous and vegetables.And here,imagination and creativity are more important than knowledge.(see some  serving suggestions).

And the couscous is ready to eat and enjoy!

There are many different ways to cook or to prepare couscous.This is the morrocan way and very close to the original.

Couscous is found all over many cultures and countries with other names,

Attiéké,wassa wassa,Bassé salti (Africa),

Fregulia,Kouskousaki (Europe)

Cuscuz marroquino (Brazil)

maftoul or moghrabieh(Asia)