Original Moroccan Couscous Food

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat; saute onion until golden.
• Pour in vegetable broth and bring to boil.
• Stir in carrots, sweet potato and turnip (if using). Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low and add zucchini and red pepper. simmer 20 minutes.
• Stir in beans, tomato sauce and spices. Simmer until heated.
• Meanwhile, bring 2 1/2 cups water to boil. Stir in couscous, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 - 7 minutes.
• Fluff with fork and serve with vegetables on top.

ORIGINAL MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a pan, when sizzling add shallots and garlic. When the shallots darken add in your water and stock mixture. Fry for another 2 mins.
• Pour in couscous and stir well . Keep stirring so the couscous won't stick to the pan. Season with a pinch of salt and paparika
• Simmer the mixture for a further ten minutes. Allow the couscous to cool before serving

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Make the spice blend: Toast the cinnamon stick, both peppercorns, cumin, coriander, allspice, cloves and cardamom in a small dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 2 minutes; let cool. Grind in a spice grinder or mini food processor with the ginger, turmeric, cayenne, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon salt. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks; use leftover spice blend as a rub for meat or fish.
• Make the couscous: Heat the butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons spice blend and the saffron, if desired, in a large skillet over medium-high heat until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the couscous and stir until toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in the warm broth, remove from the heat, cover and set aside until the couscous is plump, about 7 minutes. Add the lemon juice and fluff with a fork. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon spice blend.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saute pan, add the shallots and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, raise the heat to high and bring the stock to a boil. Off the heat and add the couscous. Cover the pan and let it sit for 10 minutes.
• Add the pignoli nuts and currants to the couscous, stir and serve.
• Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, salt, and peppercorns in a 16 to 20-quart stockpot with 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Skim the surface as needed. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander, discarding the chicken and vegetables, and chill. Discard the hardened fat, and then pack the broth in quart containers.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Stir in the cumin, ginger, cloves, cayenne, cardamom, coriander, and allspice; gently toast until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and onion, cook until softened. Stir in the bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins, salt, zest, and garbanzos.
• Pour in the chicken broth and orange juice; turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, stir in the couscous and remove from heat; cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and fold in chopped mint.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Place a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Stir in the cumin, ginger, cloves, cayenne, cardamom, coriander, and allspice; gently toast until fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil and onion, cook until softened. Stir in the bell pepper, and zucchini; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins, salt, zest, and garbanzos.
• Pour in the chicken broth and orange juice; turn heat to high and bring to a boil. When the mixture is boiling, stir in the couscous and remove from heat; cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and fold in chopped mint.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Fry chicken portions skin side down in butter and oil until golden.
• Turn.
• Add onions, garlic, spices, salt, orange juice and 300ml of water.
• Cover and bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Mix couscous with salt and 350ml of water.
• Leave to soak for 5 minutes.
• Add rest of ingredients for couscous.
• Line a steamer with greaseproof paper and spoon the cous cous inches.
• Place over chicken and steam for 10 minutes.
• Remove steamer, stir honey into chicken liquid and boil rapidly for 3-4 minutes. (At this point I stirred in 1 tsp of cornflour mixed with a little water to thicken the sauce).
• Serve chicken on top of couscous and pour over a little of the sauce.

TRADITIONAL NORTH AFRICAN COUSCOUS (THE REAL WAY!)

Steps:

• Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic & place it in a large heavy bottomed pan with the meat or chicken, ras el hanout & a little olive oil. Fry gently to seal the meat/chicken. I use my pressure cooker pr large cast iron casserole for this.
• Chop the carrot, parsnip and courgette into 6ths. Cut the potato into 1/4's and roughly chop the swede. Chop khourchef or celery into roughly same size as carrot. (Peel the carrots, potato, parsnip and swede).
• Add the vegetables to the meat along with 1L of water and turn up heat so they begin simmering. If using the chilli add it now, along with salt and pepper. If cooking in a regular pan then cook for 40 minutes like this. If using the pressure cooker as I do then 20 minutes will be enough.
• Add the tomatoes, chick peas and dried mint and 1/2L more water or enough to create a 'stew' consistency.
• Return to heat and cook in pan for further 30 minutes and if using pressure cooker then cook on med to high for a further 25 minutes.
• Take a 500g pack of medium couscous and pour into a gas'a if you have one. If not find the biggest bowl you have. Pick out any 'bits' and sprinkle water - about 50mls and a tsp of salt over the couscous and using your hand rub 1/2 tsp of oil through the couscous to stop it sticking. Fill a couscousier or steamer half full with the couscous (as it swells).
• When you 1st notice steam coming from the couscous, count 10 minutes. After that remove from the steamer, place in gas'a and use your hands to 'open' the couscous (rub it together between hands to remove clumps). This is very hot and you need to keep wetting you hand with cold water and sprinkling a little on the couscous.
• Return to steamer when thoroughly opened. Repeat process of steaming and opening twice more.
• Finally remove from steamer and place back in gas'a. Open for final time and rub a tbsp of ghee or smen into the couscous along with 2tsp of butter or margarine. Add salt to taste.
• Serve the couscous in the gas'a with sauce on top as traditional style or in tagine etc. Usually we place the meat/chicken in place - 1 for each guest and decorate the couscous with the veg before ladling some of the sauce over the top.
• If you used the chilli, put it on a plate and let people help themselves to it!

COUSCOUS WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a non stick pan and cook the chopped onion and garlic in it till the onion is soft and translucent.
• Stir in the cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, cayenne and paprika.
• Continue stirring over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then add vegetable broth, tomato puree and currants.
• Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes.
• Remove the sauce from heat and stir in fresh lemon (or lime) juice to your taste.
• If not using immediately and planning to reheat before serving, wait to add citrus juice at the last minute.
• To cook the couscous, heat the broth, water, butter and salt together in a medium skillet till the liquid boils.
• Reduce to a simmer, add the couscous, cover the skillet tightly and leave on the lowest heat for 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat an leave it covered for another couple of minutes before fluffing with a fork.
• (If using instant couscous, check package directions - you may not need to keep it on heat after boiling, but just cover and wait till liquid is absorbed - just see if liquid amounts match what is mentioned on the package).