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Moroccan couscous (large sharing couscous)

• Nargisse Benkabbou

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Serves 6 - 8

Easy

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 1 hr and 15 mins

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Look forward to a fragrant base of onion, tomato and warm spices for dinner, infused with coriander and saffron

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This is a classic meal on Fridays, when families usually gather after Jumu’ah, the weekly congregational prayer. It’s often shared around a large dish and I always look forward to it when I visit my parents. As the broth simmers, layer upon layer of vegetables are gently added, each one lending its sweetness and texture to the pot. The dish is served over fluffy couscous, with plenty of broth spooned on top or on the side. Although preparing it might seem elaborate, this is more about rhythm than technique.

Nargisse Benkabbou was raised in Brussels in a Moroccan family. Her approach to food is a love letter to the traditions, flavours and techniques of Morocco. After working as executive chef at L’Mida in Marrakech she wrote her cookbook Casablanca: My Moroccan Food. @mymoroccanfood

Moroccan couscous recipe

Ingredients

Nutrition

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter

• 1 large onion

  diced

• 2 tomatoes

  grated or finely chopped

• 1¼ tsp ground turmeric

• 1¼ tsp ground ginger

• small pinch saffron (optional)

• bunch of coriander

  tied with kitchen twine

• 1 litre of vegetable stock

• 1 small cabbage

  cut through the base into 8cm wedges

• 2 sweet potatoes

  peeled and cut into 6cm wedges

• 2 large carrots

  peeled, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 7cm pieces

• 2 turnips

  peeled and cut into 3cm pieces, or parsnips, peeled and cut into 5cm pieces

• 2 courgettes

  cut into 2.5cm rounds

• 400g tin of chickpeas

  drained and rinsed

• 500g couscous

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

Nutrition: per serving (8)

• kcal518
• fat13g
• saturates5g
• carbs78g
• sugars13g
• fibre12g
• protein16g
• salt1.8g

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Method

• step 1

  Heat the oil and ghee in a large pot over a medium-low heat. Cook the onion, tomatoes, turmeric, ginger, saffron (if using), 1½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of ground black pepper, stirring frequently, for 5-8 mins until the onions start to soften.

• step 2

  Add the coriander bouquet, pour in the stock and bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer gently for 30 mins.

• step 3

  Discard the coriander bouquet, add the cabbage and bring to a boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer for 10 mins.

• step 4

  If the cabbage wasn’t fully immersed, use tongs to flip it, then add the sweet potatoes, carrots and turnips (or parsnips) and give the pan a gentle stir to distribute the vegetables evenly. There should be enough liquid in the pot to just cover the vegetables but not submerge them completely, so add more stock if needed. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer for 10 mins.

• step 5

  Add the courgettes and chickpeas, stir gently to distribute the vegetables evenly, bring to the boil over a high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and simmer for 7-10 mins until all the vegetables are tender and cooked. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt if necessary.

• step 6

  Meanwhile, prepare the couscous following pack instructions, then transfer to a bowl and mix in 2 tbsp of butter and ¾ tsp of salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if necessary.

• step 7

  To serve, put the couscous onto a large sharing platter, top with the vegetables, chickpeas and some of the broth. Serve the remaining broth on the side as a soup or to moisten the couscous further.

More Moroccan-style recipes

Authors

Nargisse Benkabbou

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