Algeria / Main
Algerian couscous
Semolina steamed three times over a pot of meat and vegetables, with the broth served apart.
Ingredients
- Couscous700 g
- Lamb, on the bone, in pieces1 kg
- Chickpeas, soaked overnight200 g
- Carrots4
- Turnips3
- Courgettes3
- Pumpkin400 g
- Onion2
- Tomato paste2 tbsp
- Ras el hanout1 tbsp
- Butter80 g
- Olive oil80 ml
- Harissa, to serve2 tbsp
- Salt and pepperto taste
Quantities are auto-calculated from the original recipe as a guide. Items without numbers (e.g. “to taste”) are not changed.
Method 7 steps
Brown the meat with the onion in the base of the couscoussier, add the tomato paste, spices and chickpeas and cover with water. Cook an hour.
Sprinkle the couscous with water and oil and rub it between your hands so the grains separate. Steam it fifteen minutes.
Turn the grain into a wide dish, sprinkle again, rake it apart and let it cool five minutes.
Return it to the steam for fifteen more minutes. Meanwhile add the carrot and turnip to the broth.
Rake it a third time, working in the butter, and steam it a final ten minutes.
Add the courgette and pumpkin to the broth for the last twenty minutes; they cook faster than the roots.
Mound the couscous, meat and vegetables on top. Serve the broth in a separate bowl and the harissa in a third.
