Eat-O-Live

This is the recipe for a delicious, classic moroccan couscous with seven vegetables. You can choose the vegetables that are preferred by your family. Moroccans cook this meal with a coucousier, which is a special deep pot that has a basket on top to steam the couscous while cooking the meat and vegetables.

I used the pressure cooker to prepare it quicker but if you use a normal pot or the couscousier you need to double the time for it to cook.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups of Dry Couscous (Not instant)

2 lbs of Beef or lamb cut into big pieces leaving it on the bone.

2 Onions (cut into big pieces)

2 Tomatoes (peeled and cut into big pieces)

One Cup of Chickpeas Soaked overnight in cold water

4 Carrots (Peeled and cut)

Potatoes (Peeled and cut in half)

Zucchini (Remove the top and bottoms and Clean and cut in half)

Turnip (Peeled and cut)

Squash (Or a side of a pumpkin Cut and peeled)

1 or 2 Jalapeño peppers

One tbsp of diced Cilantro

1/2 Cup of Olive Oil

1/4 Cup of Vegetable Oil

2 tsp of Butter

2 tsp of Ground Ginger

1 tsp of Turmeric ( Moroccan Yellow Coloring)

Salt, Pepper and Black Pepper

One Cube of Beef Stock

How to Prepare:

Prepare the Vegetables.   

Using a pressure cooker, add the meat, onion, ground ginger, olive oil, vegetable oil, butter, turmeric, salt, pepper and black pepper stirring every now and then until the meat is browned and the water dries.  Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and half cup of hot water to the meat, cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every now and then.

After 20 minutes, add 5 cups of boiling water, and then cover the pressure cooker.  Once it starts to whistle, cook for 15 minutes.
Add turnip and carrots, cover the pot and cook for 7 minutes.
Add Potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin pieces, beef stock cube, one cup of hot water, then cover the pot and cook for 14 minutes. 

Remove the pot cover, then add the jalapeño peppers and cilantro and cook for 5 more minutes.

Steaming the Couscous (using couscoussier):

For a cup and a half of dry couscous, add one tbsp of olive oil and 3/4 cup of water mixing it all using your hand to prevent it from clumping together and put in the basket over boiling water on a high heat and let it steam for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Take out the couscous, let is cool down then add 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 cup of boiling water stirring it using your hands and then add back to the basket until the steam rises from the couscous.

For the third time take out the couscous, let it cool down and add to it 1/4 cup of boiling water stir using your hands so the couscous won’t clump together and put it to steam for one last time.

Serving the Couscous:

Put the couscous in a large bowl spreading it evenly. Add the meat pieces in the middle and decorate the vegetables around it. Add the jalapeño peppers on top of the meat (if someone wants a spicy taste) and serve the sauce in a bowl next to it.