Traditional North African Couscous The Real Way Food

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!

AFRICAN LAMB COUSCOUS FROM MAURITANIA

Steps:

• In a large stew pot that has a tight fitting lid, brown the meat by stirring quickly in hot oil or butter. Reduce heat and sauté the onions and garlic until golden. Add vegetables, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover with about 2 cups water, put the lid on the pot, and simmer until vegetables are tender and meat is cooked. Mix the dates, raisins, and chickpeas into the dry couscous, and steam. Serve by ladling the stew over couscous on individual plates. Serves 6 to 8.
• COUSCOUS: There are several ways of steaming and softening this form of semolina wheat that is a base for north African stews. The preferred method is to use a couscousier.
• If you don't have a couscousier here is a method. Get dry couscous grain in an ethnic or gourmet grocery or a natural foods store. Allow 2 oz. per person for a meal.
• Pour the couscous into a large bowl and cover it with cold Iwater. Stir, and let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then scrape the damp grain out onto a clean absorbent cloth such as a linen dish towel. (If all the water hasn't been soaked up, you should drain it off first.) Leave the grain to swell for 15 minutes. If you prefer, you can leave the grains in the bowl, but as they are more confined, they may not become quite as fluffy.
• Now you must find a way to steam the couscous. A colander that will sit part way down into a pot, without sinking to the bottom, can become a homemade couscousier. But if your colander, like most, has holes too large to prevent the couscous grains from falling through, you must line it with a clean, porous cloth (cheesecloth) When everything is ready, bring water in the pot to a boil, and steam the couscous, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
• Now the couscous must swell and steam a second time, but with slight variations. Once again, put it into a bowl or onto the towel. Sprinkle cold water over it-perhaps half a cup for every pound of couscous-and rub grains between your fingers to break up any lumps that have formed. After it has sat for 10 minutes, rub some oil onto your hands and rework the grains with your fingers. (For special occasions, use butter to grease and separate the grains.).
• Finely, steam the couscous for 25 more minutes, and serve hot.
• There is nothing complicated about this process, but it does take some time.
• If it sounds too ambitious, try the packaged, pre-cooked grain that is widely available where couscous is sold and follow the simple directions on the box. True connoisseurs argue, no doubt that you will never know what real couscous tastes like unless you steam your own. The "instant" kind is acceptable though.
• The Africa News Cookbook.