Traditional North African Cous Cous (The Real Way!)

Ingredients

• 8 lamb chops or skinless chicken pieces, on bone but skin & fat free if possible
• 1 large onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 medium courgettes (zucchini)
• 2 large potatoes
• 1/4 swede or turnip
• 1 parsnip
• 2-3 stalks celery (or khorchef)
• 1 cup chickpeas, drained
• 2 teaspoons ras el hanout spice mix
• salt & pepper
• 1 pinch dried mint
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil or vegetable oil
• 1 cup of liquidised tomato puree
• 1 1/2 liters water
• 1 large green chilies (optional)
• 500 g medium couscous
• 1 tablespoon ghee (smen)
• 2 teaspoons butter or margarine
• 1 glass water

Directions

1. 1

   Finely chop the onion and garlic and place it in a large heavy bottomed pan with the meat or chicken and ras el hanout. Fry gently to seal the meat/chicken. I use my pressure cooker for this.

2. 2

   Chop the carrot, parsnip & 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, potatos, parsnip & swede).

3. 3

   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 & pepper. If cooking in a regular pan then cook for 40 mins like this. If using the pressure cooker as I do then 20 mins wil be enough.

4. 4

   Add the tomatos, chick peas and dried mint and 1/2L more water or enough to create a 'stew' consistency.

5. 5

   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.

6. 6

   Take a 500g pack of medium cous cous 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 cous cous and using your hand rub a tsp of oil through the cous cous to stop it sticking. Fill a couscousier or steamer half full with the couscous (as it swells).

7. 7

   When you 1st notice steam coming from the cous cous, count 10 minutes. After that remove from the steamer, place in gas'a and use your hands to 'open' the cous cous (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 cous cous.

8. 8

   Return to steamer when thoroughly opened. Repeat process of steaming and opening twice more.

9. 9

   Finally remove from steamer and place back in gas'a. Open for final time and rub a tbsp of ghee or smen into the cous cous along with 2tsp of butter or margarine. Add salt to taste.

10. 10

    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 cous cous with the veg before ladelling some of the sauce over the top.

11. 11

    If you used the chilli, put it on a plate and let people help themselves to it!