Couscous

Ingredients

Couscous

• 600 gmedium-grain couscous
• 500 mlcold salted water, for wetting
• 4 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspsalt

Broth (marqa)

• 6 tbspolive oil
• 2onions, chopped
• 5garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 tbsptomato paste
• 2 tbspharissa
• 1 tbsptabil (ground coriander seed, caraway, garlic, chilli)
• 1 tspground caraway
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 200 gcooked chickpeas
• 2carrots, in chunks
• 2potatoes, quartered
• 1quince or 300 g pumpkin, in chunks
• 2green peppers, halved
• 1.5 litreswater
• 2 tspsalt

Fish

• 1.2 kggrouper, sea bream or grey mullet, cut in thick steaks
• 1 tbsptabil
• 2garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tspsalt
• Olive oil, for rubbing

Directions

1. Tip the couscous into a wide shallow bowl, sprinkle over about 200 ml salted water and rub the grains between flat palms for 3–4 minutes until each one is separate and damp. Rest 10 minutes to swell.
2. Heat the olive oil in the base of a couscoussier, fry the onions 8 minutes, add the garlic, tomato paste, harissa, tabil, caraway and turmeric and fry 4 minutes until the paste darkens and the oil turns red.
3. Add the water, chickpeas, carrots and salt and bring to a boil.
4. Set the perforated top on, seal the join with a strip of damp cloth or a flour-and-water paste, and pile in the couscous loosely. Steam uncovered 20 minutes from the moment vapour rises through the grain.
5. Tip the couscous back into the bowl, break up the lumps with a fork, sprinkle over another 150 ml water and 2 tbsp olive oil, rub again and rest 10 minutes. Return and steam 20 minutes more.
6. Add the potatoes, quince and peppers to the broth. Rub and steam the couscous a third time for 15 minutes – three steamings is what makes the grain light and separate rather than stodgy.
7. Rub the fish steaks with tabil, garlic, salt and oil, lay them on top of the vegetables in the broth (or on the couscous for the last 10 minutes) and poach gently 10–12 minutes until the flesh flakes from the bone.
8. Mound the couscous on a large platter, moisten it with several ladles of the red broth until it drinks its fill, arrange the vegetables and fish on top and serve the remaining broth and extra harissa on the side.

Technique

• Three steamings, with rubbing and resting between each, is the whole technique. Boiling couscous in water or pouring boiling stock over it gives a heavy, pasty grain that Tunisians would not recognise.
• Tunisian couscous is red and hot – built on tomato paste, harissa and tabil – unlike the pale, cinnamon-scented Moroccan style.
• Seal the join between pot and steamer. Steam escaping at the rim means the grain above is not cooking, and it is the usual cause of a gritty centre.

Substitutions

• No couscoussier? A metal colander lined with muslin over a stockpot, sealed with damp cloth or foil, does the same job.
• Instant couscous can be used but should still be steamed at least once after hydrating, or the dish loses its lightness.

Variations

• Couscous bel osban, made with stuffed lamb sausage, a Kairouan speciality.
• Masfouf, sweet steamed couscous with dates, raisins and almonds, eaten at Ramadan.

History

Steamed in a couscoussier over stew; UNESCO inscribed couscous knowledge and practices in 2020 following a joint nomination by Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania.

Frequently asked questions

What is Couscous?

Couscous is a main from Algeria: hand-rolled steamed semolina with vegetable and meat broth; the national dish. Steamed in a couscoussier over stew; UNESCO inscribed couscous knowledge and practices in 2020 following a joint nomination by Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania.

How long does Couscous take to make?

Couscous takes 40 min of preparation and 2 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Couscous?

Yes, within limits. No couscoussier? A metal colander lined with muslin over a stockpot, sealed with damp cloth or foil, does the same job. Instant couscous can be used but should still be steamed at least once after hydrating, or the dish loses its lightness.

What is the most important thing to get right in Couscous?

Add the potatoes, quince and peppers to the broth. Rub and steam the couscous a third time for 15 minutes – three steamings is what makes the grain light and separate rather than stodgy.