Moroccan Couscous With Seven Vegetables

This is an outstanding recipe for classic Casablanca-style couscous with seven vegetables. Steamed couscous is piled high with stewed meat and vegetables – very delicious! Omit the meat for a vegetarian couscous.

It's become increasingly popular in recent years to garnish this dish with a generous topping of tfaya, a caramelized onion and raisin mixture that can also adorn couscous all on its own.

Learn ​how to steam couscous (below) if you've never used a couscoussier. If cooking chicken, an organic, free-range bird works best due to the long cooking time.

Vary the vegetables to your family's preferences, but try to include the full variety to achieve an authentically flavored sauce. Popular additions are listed as optional ingredients

Buttermilk or Saycouk are traditionally offered afterward.

What You'll Need:

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)

How to Make It:

Note: A free-range chicken (djaj beldi) will require the same cooking time and procedure as indicated below for beef or lamb. If using a regular factory-raised chicken, remove it from the pot when fully cooked and set aside. Return it to the pot to reheat for a few minutes just prior to serving.

1. Mix the meat, onion, tomatoes, oil, and spices in the bottom of a couscoussier. Cook uncovered over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until the meat is browned and the onions and tomatoes have formed a thick sauce.

1. Add 2 1/2 liters (about 2 1/2 quarts) of water, the parsley/cilantro bouquet, and the chickpeas. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer rapidly for 25 to 30 minutes. (Note: If omitting both meat and chickpeas, there's no need to simmer for awhile before proceeding to the next step.)

First Steaming of the Couscous

See the photo tutorial How to Steam Couscous if you've never used a couscoussier before.

While the meat is cooking, get the couscous ready for its first steaming. Oil the steamer basket and set it aside. Empty the dry couscous into a very large bowl, and work in 1/4 cup of vegetable oil with your hands, tossing the couscous and rubbing it between your palms. (This will help prevent the couscous grains from clumping together.) Next, work in 1 cup of water in the same manner, using your hands to evenly distribute the liquid into the couscous. Transfer the couscous to the oiled steamer basket.

Add the cabbage to the broth, and place the steamer basket on top. Once you see steam rising from the couscous, steam the couscous for 15 minutes.

Note: If you see steam escaping from between the basket and couscoussier, you'll need to seal the joint. You can do this in several ways:

• wrap and tie a long piece of damp cloth over the joint, or
• tightly wrap a long piece of kitchen plastic film around the joint, or
• wrap and drape a long piece of kitchen plastic film onto the rim of the couscoussier, and then place the basket on top (this is my preferred method)

Once the couscous has steamed for 15 minutes, empty it back into your large bowl and break it apart.

Second Steaming of the Couscous

When the couscous has cooled enough to handle, gradually work in 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt with your hands. Again, toss the couscous and rub it between your palms to break up any balls or clumps. Transfer the couscous back into the steamer, taking care not to pack or compress the couscous.

Add the turnips, tomatoes, onions, carrots and fava beans (if using) to the pot. Place the steamer basket on top of the couscoussier, and steam the couscous a second time for 15 minutes, timing from when you see the steam rising from the couscous. (Again, seal the joint if you see steam escaping.)

When the couscous has steamed for 15 to 20 minutes, turn it out into the large bowl again. Break it apart, and leave to cool a few minutes.

If using pumpkin, add it to the couscoussier, and cover the pot.

Third Steaming of Couscous

Gradually work 3 cups of water into the couscous with your hands, tossing it and rubbing the grains between your palms. Taste the couscous, and add a little salt if desired.

Transfer about half of the couscous to the steamer basket. Again, try to handle the couscous lightly and avoid packing it into the steamer.

Add the squash, zucchini, and sweet potatoes to the couscoussier, and place the steamer basket on top. (Again, seal the joint if necessary.)

When you see the steam rise through the couscous, carefully add the remaining couscous to the steamer.

Continue cooking, watching for the steam to rise from the couscous. Allow the couscous to steam a third time for a full 15 to 20 minutes. At this point, all of the vegetables should be cooked. Test the vegetables to be sure, cooking longer if necessary. Taste the broth – it should be salty and peppery – and adjust the seasoning if desired.

If you're using smen, add it to the sauce in the pot.

Serving the Couscous and Vegetables

Empty the couscous into the large bowl, and break it apart. Mix in the 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 ladles of broth.

To serve the couscous, shape it into a mound with a well in the center. Put the meat into the well, and arrange the vegetables on top and all around. Distribute the broth evenly over the couscous and vegetables, reserving one or two bowlfuls to offer on the side for those who prefer more.

* If you're serving the couscous with jalapeño peppers, simmer the peppers, covered, in a half-ladle of broth and a little water, for about 40 minutes, or until the jalapeños are tender. The peppers are typically placed on top of the couscous, and small pieces may be broken off as a condiment.

How to Steam Couscous in a Couscoussier

1-Making Authentic Moroccan Couscous:

If you want to serve authentic Moroccan couscous, you need to steam it in a couscoussier--a traditional Moroccan pot used to cook couscous over a simmering stew. Although there are 3 stages of steaming, it is a pretty simple process.

2-The Couscoussier:

The photo here shows couscous in a couscoussier. This traditional Moroccan pot features a large base (called either a barma, gdra or tanjra) for stewing meats and vegetables, and a steamer basket (kesskess) which fits snugly atop the pot for steaming couscous, rice or even vermicelli (seffa).

Couscoussier comes in different sizes. The one shown here holds about 9 liters (9 quarts) of liquid, and the steamer basket can hold about 2 kilograms (almost 4 1/2 pounds) of couscous.

Couscous is traditionally steamed 3 times over a rapidly simmering stew. Steaming the couscous makes each grain plump and tender without being wet, and therefore better suited for absorbing the tasty broth from the stew.

Steaming couscous doesn't add any actual cooking time to the dish's preparation, but each steaming will require about 5 minutes of easy prep work.

3-Add Oil to the Dry Couscous:

Start by emptying 1 kilogram (2 1/4 pounds) of dry couscous (do not use instant couscous) into a very large shallow bowl. (The "bowl" used here is called a gsaa.) Adjust the amount of oil and water in each step if using a different quantity of couscous.

Add about 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Toss, rub and stir the couscous with your hands to distribute the oil. The oil helps prevent clumping, allowing each grain of couscous to remain separate as it steams.

Note: Some Moroccan cooks add the oil after the couscous has steamed the first time, but you can also add it initially.

4-Add 1 Cup of Water:

Now, add 1 cup of water to the couscous, and toss the couscous and rub it between your hands until the water is evenly distributed. You can see the couscous is already plumping up, but it needs to steam in order to become tender.

5-First Steaming of the Couscous:

Lightly oil the interior of the steamer. Transfer the couscous to the steamer, taking care not to compress or pack the couscous. Place the steamer on top of the base of the couscoussier. Presumably, you'll be stewing some meat and vegetables in the bottom, but you could also steam the couscous over salted water.

If any steam escapes from the joint where the steamer and base meet, you'll want to seal the joint. You can do this in one of 3 ways:

1. Wrap and tie a long piece of damp cloth over the joint.
2. Tightly wrap a long piece of kitchen plastic film around the joint.
3. Wrap and drape a long piece of kitchen plastic film onto the rim of the couscoussier, and then place the basket on top.

Once you see steam rise from the couscous, allow the couscous to steam for a full 15 minutes.

6-Second Steaming of the Couscous:

Once the couscous has completed its first steaming, empty it from the steamer into your large bowl. Use a spoon to break it apart, and allow it to cool a few minutes.

Next, add 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of salt. Toss the couscous and rub it between your palms to break up any balls or clumps.

Put the couscous back into the steamer – again, don't pack the couscous – and steam a second time for another 15 minutes, timing from when you see the steam rise from the top of the couscous. Remember to seal the joint if you notice steam escaping from the sides.

7-Third Steaming of the Couscous:

Once the couscous has completed its second steaming, empty it into your large bowl again. Break it apart, and allow to cool slightly.

Separately add 2 1/2 to 3 cups of water, tossing and mixing the couscous with your hands after each addition. The couscous is now quite light and fluffy and should lean toward al dente when you try it. It will continue to tenderize during the last steaming and from adding broth during serving time.

Transfer the couscous to the steamer – remember not to compress the couscous, just pile it in lightly – and steam for the final time for another 10 to 15 minutes, timing from when you see the steam. Again, seal the joint of the couscoussier if necessary.

Due to the volume of couscous, it will take a bit longer to see the steam emerge. Because of this, some Moroccan cooks don't add all the couscous for the final steaming in a single quantity. They might place 1/3 or 1/2 of the couscous in the steamer, and add more when they see the steam rising.

8-Serve the Couscous:

The couscous is now ready to serve.