← Nouns Cooking · Moroccan

Ingredients

• 900 g lamb shoulder or neck on the bone, cut into large pieces
• 5 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 Onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 3 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 1½ tbsp Harissa
• 1 tbsp Paprika
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground caraway
• 1½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1.75 l Water
• 4 Carrot, halved lengthways
• 2 Turnip, quartered
• 3 Potato, peeled and halved
• 2 Courgette (zucchini), cut into big chunks
• 1 can chickpeas (400 g can), drained
• 500 g medium couscous
• 4 long green peppers, fried whole, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Heat 3 tbsp of the oil in the base of a couscoussier or large pot and brown the lamb with the onions over medium-high heat for 8–10 min.
2. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, harissa, paprika, coriander and caraway and fry for 2 min until brick red. Add the water, salt and pepper, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 45 min.
3. Add the carrots and turnips and cook for 15 min, then add the potatoes, courgettes and chickpeas and simmer for 20 min more, until the meat and vegetables are tender.
4. Meanwhile put the couscous in a wide bowl, sprinkle with 250 ml salted water and the remaining oil, and rub it between your palms. Leave for 10 min, then steam it uncovered over the stew for 20 min. (Short on time? Pour 600 ml of the hot broth over it, cover for 10 min and fluff with a fork.)
5. Tip the couscous into the bowl, break up any lumps, and ladle over enough broth to make it moist and orange; Tunisians like it well soaked.
6. Mound the couscous on a platter, arrange the lamb and vegetables on top and serve extra broth on the side, with the fried green peppers for anyone who likes heat.

Tips

• Harissa brands vary hugely in heat; start with 1 tbsp and stir more into the broth at the end.
• Contains wheat (couscous). Fish couscous is just as popular on the Tunisian coast: use grouper or bream steaks and add them for the last 15 min.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

196 flavors Amour de Cuisine