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Couscous:
National dish,
granular
semolina pasta,
which is steamed
over a pan of
stewing
vegetables,
spices, garbanzo
beans, and meat.
The ingredients
are combined and
served as a main
dish--the staple
of the Moroccan
diet. It should
be mentioned
that the
preparation of
couscous varies
from one region
to the other.
Couscous is a
rolled wheat
pasta and makes
a great
substitute for
rice or
potatoes. It is
a well known,
typically
Moroccan dish
and is simple to
prepare. The
word couscous
refers to the
raw ingredient
as well as to
the prepared
basic dish
(described
below). Couscous
is served with a
sauce, and often
topped with a
spicy oil and
pepper mixture
called
Harissa. The
most wonderful
thing about
couscous is the
way it absorbs
the flavor of
the sauce. This,
as well as its
lightness and
porous texture
make it an ideal
choice for
sauces. Outlined
below is the
basic recipe for
plain couscous.
Look up a
specific sauce
recipe to cook
with the
couscous.
Traditional
Couscous with
lamb and
vegetables
In Morocco where
couscous is a
staple, a
couscoussier is
used to cook the
dish. It is a
two-part,
barrel-like
vessel. The
large bottom pot
holds a stew,
and as the stew
simmers it
steams the
couscous in the
top perforated
insert.
In Morocco, most
couscous is
meat-based, and
the couscous
steams for 45
minutes or more
while the meat
tenderizes.
Vegetable stews
cook much more
quickly, not
allowing enough
time for the
couscous to cook
to
melt-in-your-mouth
consistency.
Traditional
couscous, before
it goes into the
couscousier, is
handled in a
special way.
This involves
moistening and
drying,
steaming, drying
and re-steaming.
This takes some
time: a little
more than an
hour. The
finished product
is fluffy.
4 cups
couscous
3 cups water.
Set couscous in
a large bowl.
Lightly oil your
hands and work
grains, Spread
couscous grain
than pour 2
quarts water
over it and
leave them to
swell for 10
minutes. Lightly
oil your hands
and work grains
rubbing them
through your
fingertips, to
keep them
separate rub
couscous between
your wet hands
to break up
lumps. Let stand
another 10
minutes.
Put water in the
pot of the
couscoussier.
There should be
ample liquid in
bottom of pot
but it should
not come too
close to bottom
of steaming
basket. When the
liquid comes to
a boil, slowly
dribble 1/2 of
the swollen
couscous into
steamer, forming
them into a
mound. Steam
over low heat,
uncovered as
soon as the
steam escapes,
count, 20
minutes of
cooking. The
steam must
escape only from
the couscous.
Remove the top
of the
couscousier (if
the liquid in
the bottom seems
low, add some
more water) and
dump the
couscous into a
large shallow
pan and spread
it out with a
rubber spatula.
Sprinkle the
couscous with
1soup cup of
cold water
slightly salty
over the
couscous.
Lightly oil
hands; rework
grains, breaking
up any lumps
break up lumps
by lifting
couscous and
stirring the
grains. Dry for
10 minutes.
Return the dried
couscous to the
top of the
couscousier.
Steam uncovered
for 20 minutes
more. Put back
the couscous a
third time in
the high of
couscoussier and
5 minutes after
exhaust of the
steam, shell the
couscous again.
Add 1 or 2 pats
butter if
desired .Can do
in advance up to
this point and
keep until the
final steaming
with a damp
cloth over top.
Bouillon:
 |
2 pounds lamb shoulder |
|
2 onions |
|
250 g of chickpea soaked the day before |
|
150 g of butter |
|
1 pinch of saffron |
|
1 coffee spoonful of pepper |
|
Salt |
|
1 teaspoon of ginger |
|
6 liters of water |
|
1 pound package of instant couscous |
|
1 pd of peeled tomatoes |
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1 pd of little peeled turnips |
|
4 peeled carrots cut in length |
|
4 small turnips quartered |
|
1 pound pumpkin |
|
1 small head cabbage, quartered |
|
4 zucchini, unpeeled, quartered |
|
Coriander |
|
2 tablespoon olive oil |
|
1/4 cup butter |
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1/4-cup raisins plumbed in water with orange blossom and drained. |
Preparation:
Wash and drain
carefully the
cut meat in
pieces. Heat the
oil and brown
the lamb on all
sides for 5
minutes. Add the
onions, and cook
another 5
minutes. Add the
tomatoes, the
cilantro, the
chickpeas, the
saffron, the
pepper, the
salt, and the
water and put on
quick fire. Cook
covered for 15
minutes.
Withdraw the
heart of cabbage
in him incising
deeply with a
pointed knife
the hoary
cabbage,
Add to the
boiling the
other minced
onions,
tomatoes,
turnips,
carrots.
As soon as the
soup is again in
boiling point,
redo the
previous
operation with
the couscous but
this time in
replacing the
water by the oil
of olives.
Presentation:
Dispose the
couscous in cone
in a big dish,
dig a crater to
the center,
there place the
meat and the
vegetables,
water of soup
and let to
absorb. Serving
the surplus of
soup in some
bowls so that
every one will
be able to serve
him. |