Recipe N° 1: Moroccan lamb and 7 vegetables couscous ( Marrakech original version)

 

  Cousous is one of the most famous Moroccan dishes ever, it is mainly composed of crushed wheat, vegetables and a kind of protein depending on which version you prefer and is clearly a very rich and complete dish. Today we will introduce you to the most basic version which is : Moroccan lamb and 7 vegetables couscous ( Marrakech original version).

Please note that couscous has to be cooked in a couscousiere for a better result.

Ingredients:

• 500 Gr of lamb or beef.
• 1 large onion.
• 500 Gr dried couscous or crushed wheat.
• 7 vegetables: pumpkin, courgette, potato, carrot, tomatoes, onion, cabbage, trunip, coriander, and chickpeas. ( that's a bit more than 7 ;) )
• Spices: 2 ts olive oil, 2 ts salt, 1 ts ground turmeric, 1 ts ground ginger, 1 ts ground black paper, saffron.

Preparation:

1. First you need to peel all vegetables and cut them into big pieces so they won't melt into the sauce.
2. Into the down part of the couscousiere put the chopped onion + olive oil+ meat+ all of the spices and put them to heat and keep turning them until they turn brown, then add tomated cut into small pieces ( tomato juce can also do it) keep turning for about 10 minutes.
3. Add the chickpeas ( they had to be soaked into water for an entire night in advance) and about 2 litres of water, let cook on medium heat for about 1 hour.
4. Now you can start peparing your couscous, in a large plate put your couscous and add a reasonable amount of olive oil to it. Keep moving it between both your hands until it's all covered of olive oil. This step garantees that the couscous stays very well defined and tastes magnificiant. 
5. Next put in a big glass about 2 ts of salt in a 0.5 litres of water, this is how you will be hydrating your couscous. Add small amounts of water to the couscous and keep massaging it between your hands until it absorbs the water ( the full glass shall be devided into 3 phases).
6. After the 1 hour is over open your casserole and add vegetables + coriander ( attached as a bouquet) and then add the couscous to the upper piece of the couscoussiere and place it on the top ( the couscous will be cooked using the steam).
7. Let the couscous coock for about 15 minutes and do the hydrating process again ( it shoul be done 3 times).
8. When your couscous is all cooked take of the upper piece of the couscoussiere and check if the seasoning needs adjustment.
9. You are now ready to serve your couscous.
10. Bon appetit ;)