Delicious Moroccan Foods

    • الأربعاء، 27 يونيو 2018

    Moroccan Couscous With Seven Vegetables

    يونيو 27, 2018 0
    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

    Couscous

    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.
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    Moroccan Harcha Semolina Pan-Fried Flatbread

    يونيو 27, 2018 0
    Moroccan Harcha Semolina Pan-Fried Flatbread
    Harcha-3264-x-2176.jpg
    Harcha (or harsha) is a Moroccan pan-fried bread made from semolina. Although it looks a bit like an English muffin, it's more like cornbread in texture and taste. Recipes for harcha vary from family to family. This one is quite rich in that it uses all butter and milk—it is delicious, especially when hot from the griddle! 
    This recipe calls for coating the cakes in coarse semolina before frying—this is optional, but creates a nice appearance and texture. Offer harcha for tea time or breakfast; they're best served warm with jam, cheese, or syrup made from melted butter and honey. For a step-by-step tutorial, see how to make harcha by photos(below).
    What You'll Need:
    2 cups (350 grams) fine semolina (not durum flour)
    3 tablespoons sugar
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup (125 grams) soft or melted butter
    1/2 to 3/4 cup (120 to 180 milliliters) milk
    Optional: 1/4 cup coarse semolina

    How to Make It

    1. In a mixing bowl, blend together the fine semolina, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter, and blend with your hands or a wooden spoon just until the mixture is the consistency of sand and the semolina grains have all been moistened. 
    2. Add 1/2 cup milk and mix until dough forms. It should be quite moist, wet almost, and easily packed into a large mound. Add additional milk if necessary to achieve this consistency.
    1. Shape the dough into balls any size that you like and leave the dough to rest a few minutes.
    2. Preheat a griddle or frying pan over medium-low heat. While the griddle is heating, roll the balls in the coarse semolina (if using) and flatten each ball into a disc about 1/4-inch thick, or a bit thicker if you like.
    3. Cook the harcha over fairly low heat, about 5 to 10 minutes on each side, until they turn a pale to medium golden color. Flip only once, and check occasionally to be sure the harcha aren't coloring too quickly, as they need some time to cook all the way through.
    4. Serve immediately with jam, cheese, or butter.

    Variations and Tips

    Instead of shaping the dough into balls, you can cut out rounds if you prefer. Leave the dough to rest for 10 minutes, sprinkle your work surface with semolina, and then press the dough flat into a large 1/4-inch-thick disc. Cut out rounds and proceed with cooking the harcha on a griddle.
    Once cooked, you can dip the harcha in syrup made from melted butter and honey. To make the syrup, heat equal portions of the butter and honey until bubbly and hot.
    Harcha can be reheated in a pan or in a 350 F (180 C) oven for a few minutes. They also store well in the freezer.

    How to Make Harcha - Moroccan Semolina Pan-Fried Flatbread Recipe

    Mix the Dry Ingredients
    Mix the semonlina, sugar, baking powder and salt.
    Start by mixing the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl, blend together:
    • 2 cups (250 g) fine semolina
    • 3 tablespoons sugar
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    Blend in the Butter
    Blend in the butter to form a crumbly mixture.
    Blend in 1/2 cup (125 g) soft or melted butter. Use your hands, a pastry cutter, or a spoon. Don't over mix; just make sure every grain of semolina is moistened. The mixture should now be moist and crumbly, similar in texture to the dough for a cookie crust or graham-cracker crust.

    Add the Milk
    Mix in the milk to form a dough.
    Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup (120 to 180 ml) milk to the semolina mixture to make a soft, almost-wet dough that can be packed into a mound.

    Harcha Dough
    Moroccan Harcha Dough
    The harcha dough should now look like this.

    Shape the Dough Into Balls
    Shape the dough into balls.
    Shape the doughs into balls, and leave them to rest for a few minutes.
    Make the balls any size that you like. The balls shown here are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter, which will yield small 3" harcha.
    Flatten the Dough
    Flatten the balls of dough into discs.
    If desired, roll the balls in coarse semolina. (This is optional for appearance and texture).
    Flatten the balls into discs about 1/4" thick. Don't make them too thick, or the dough won't cook all the way through.
    Cook the Harcha Over Low Heat
    Cook the harcha over low to medium-low heat.
    Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium-low heat for several minutes.
    Add the harcha to the pan, and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes on each side, turning only once, until a pale to medium golden color. Keep the heat low, and check occasionally to be sure the harcha aren't coloring too quickly, as they need some time to set and cook all the way through.
    Serve Harcha Warm
    Serve harcha warm
    Harcha is best served warm with jam, cheese or honey. They can also be dipped in hot syrup made from equal portions of melted butter and honey.
    Harcha can be reheated stove top in a pan or in a 350 F (180 C) oven for a few minutes. They'll stay fresh at room temperature for a day, and store well in the freezer.
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    How to Make Ghoriba Bahla

    يونيو 27, 2018 0
    How to Make Ghoriba Bahla
    1-Ghoriba Bahla - A Silly Name for Shortbread Cookies

    These little Moroccan shortbread cookies have a pleasantly surprising crunch, thanks both to the dough's sandy texture and the now-traditional additions of toasted sesame seeds and almonds.
    Cracks in the surface of the cookie have led to the cookies being known as ghoriba bahla (ghriba behla), a name which loosely translates in my mind to "silly cookie," but more accurately to "silly stranger." The word ghoriba itself means stranger and is used to refer to a number of round Moroccan cookies which are traditionally shaped by hand.
    2-Ghoriba Bahla - The Ingredients

    It's always easiest to measure out ingredients before you begin mixing. This shortbread uses a mix of unsalted butter and vegetable oil, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla sugar and a pinch of salt. Here I'm adding in a half cup of toasted unhulled sesame seeds. I could use toasted and ground almonds instead, or a mix of sesame and almonds. Ground pecans would also be fabulous, but it's not traditional.

     3-Begin Mixing the Dough

    Begin by combining the sugar, unsalted butter and vegetable oil in a large bowl. A heavy wooden spoon will make short work of this task, but use your hands if you prefer.
    Next mix in the sesame (and almonds, if using), vanilla sugar and salt.
    4-Work the Flour Into the Dough

    Time to mix in the flour and baking powder. Do this in increments, adding the baking powder with the first addition of flour.
    You might not need all of the flour, and this step is best done by hand since the dough will become increasingly stiff and crumbly. My bowl is big enough to accommodate my hands, but many Moroccan cooks prefer to use a wide, shallow when making dough.
    5-The Kneading Begins by Hand or with Mixer

    With enough flour mixed in, the dough should now be too crumbly to pack well. To make it manageable, it must be kneaded and mixed further.  
    You can do this by hand for a good 20 minutes or longer – indeed many Moroccans would insist on hand kneading – but a stand mixer with paddle attachment at low speed takes only 10 minutes and will leave you free to clean up or do something else.
    6-The Dough is Ready

    So what is the correct texture of the dough after kneading? Well, it should resemble what's shown here – dry enough to crumble between your fingers yet moist enough to easily squeeze and mold into a pliable ball.
    If the dough does not have this texture toward the end of your 10-minute kneading, an adjustment will need to be made. If it's too dry and crumbly, work in a tablespoon of oil. If it's too moist and has formed a uniform mass, work in a little more flour. In either case, continue kneading long enough to fully incorporate your addition.
    Now it's time to move on to shaping and baking.
    7-The Bakeware - Special Ghoriba Mold or Regular Pan

    The traditional pan for making ghoriba bahla is a molded baking sheet like the one shown here. It's large enough to make a full batch of the shortbread cookies, and although it's not a must, using it will allow the cookies to bake with a desirably concave, cup-shaped bottom.
    If you don't have the mold, a regular baking sheet will work fine, although your cookies will, of course, have a flat bottom. Neither pan requires greasing, but I here I'm using parchment paper for the regular pan for the sake of easy clean up.
    8-Preheat Your Oven

    There are two baking methods to choose from. Select one or plan to try both to see which you like better:
    • Preheat your oven to 338° F (170° C) with the rack in its lowest position. This oven temp will be used in combination with the broiler or grill element for a few minutes, after which time the rack will be re-positioned and the oven used alone.
    • Preheat your oven to 400° F (200° C) with the rack positioned up high, in the top third. This method requires no adjustments other than a pan rotation from front to back if you feel it's necessary.
    The day I took these photos I tried both methods to see how they affected the cracks in the cookies. We want the cracks to be well defined but not so deep or wide as to distort the round shape of the cookie.
    9-Shaping the Cookies

    Take a little dough and squeeze it back and forth in your hands a few times to press it together and make it pliable. Shape it into a smooth ball of about 1 1/2" (3.5 cm), then flatten it slightly in the palm of your hand without cracking the edges. 
    If using the special pan, gently press the dough onto the top of a mold. Otherwise, arrange the dough on a regular baking sheet.
    The dough shown here is shaped on the thick side. You can be a bit more particular if using the molded pan by shaping the dough a little flatter and by pressing the edges even thinner so that the dough curves better over the mold. This will yield a thinner cookie with notable cup-shaped bottom which is preferred by perfectionist Moroccan bakers.
    10-Bake the Cookies - Two Methods

    Note that every oven behaves differently, so you may need to make small adjustments to get a good result. 
    • If your oven was preheated to 338° F (170° C), turn on the broiler or grill element. Place the cookies in the oven with the rack in the lowest position for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the grill and move the rack and baking pan to the upper third of the oven. Continue baking for another 15 minutes, or until the cookies have cracked and are colored.
    • If your oven was preheated to 400° F (200° C), bake the cookies on the rack in the top third of the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are cracked and the cookies are nicely colored.
    Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool and set on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool.
    11-Ghoriba Bahla - Comparing Results

    I test-baked the ghoriba bahla on both types of pans with both baking methods. The results are shown here. Note that the color of the cookies in the photo is a bit off because of the brightly hued paper I used for labeling. (Oops! Photography lesson learned!)
    The traditional mold (left side of photo) yielded cookies with the deepest cracks, although they may have been too deep and wide had I not shaped the cookies as thick as I did.
    The cookies on the conventional baking pan (right side of photo) have finer but acceptable cracks. Perhaps a higher positioning of the rack would yield deeper cracks, but I was out of dough for experimenting further.
    I've concluded that both methods are acceptable, but that the oven- grill method will give a slightly more dramatic crackling effect, particularly when combined with the traditional ghoriba mold. Depending on your dough's consistency, that effect may be too much, as drier dough will develop thicker, deeper cracks.
    12-A Look at the Bottom of the Ghoriba

    Here's what the bottom of the cookie will look like when baked on the ghoriba mold. Had I shaped the dough into a flatter disc and molded it down over the mounds on the special pan, my ghoriba would have had an even deeper cup and thinner edge.

    13-Cooling, Storing and Serving Ghoriba Bahla

    Allow the ghoriba bahla to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. You'll want to use waxed paper, plastic or foil between the layers to avoid crumbs from upper layers ruining the appearance of the cookies underneath. The cookies will keep well at room temperature for a week or two, but freezing will ensure best flavor if they aren't likely to be consumed in the first week. 
    They make an excellent addition to a Moroccan tea time table, and are generally served alongside other Moroccan ghoribas, cookies or pastries.
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