Moroccan Lamb Couscous

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One cannot dive into the world of Moroccan couscous without acknowledging the meticulous and time-honored preparation that goes into crafting this dish. Traditionally, couscous is made from coarsely ground wheat or barley, resulting in tiny, spherical granules that serve as the perfect canvas for absorbing all these Moroccan flavors.

What is Moroccan Lamb Couscous?

Moroccan lamb couscous is commonly paired with an arrangement of vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, and chickpeas. In Morocco, families and friends gather around a communal couscous platter, sharing not only food but also the warmth of togetherness. The communal aspect of enjoying couscous reflects the heart of Moroccan hospitality.

A tagine refers to both a North African cooking vessel and the slow-cooked stew-like dish prepared in it. The cooking vessel, known as a tagine, is characterized by its unique design, featuring a shallow, circular base and a conical or dome-shaped lid.

Traditionally made from clay, the tagine’s design allows for the circulation of steam during cooking, which helps in tenderizing meats and infusing the dish with aromatic flavors. However, we will be using a pot to cook most of the dishes. You can easily replace the tagine with a large plate.

This tagine was gifted to my mom from her Moroccan friend. You can easily find tagines online or at some local Arabic grocers. I have also found tagines at World Market if you have one close by.

Moroccan Couscous vs Tunisian Couscous

Food Feuds is a series where we rate similar dishes from different countries to figure out who makes it better. Many North African nations make couscous in their own preferred way. Kickin’ it with Sal did a Food Feuds review comparing Moroccan Couscous to Tunisian couscous. If you are trying to decide whether to make the Moroccan Couscous recipe or the Tunisian couscous recipe, this review may help you narrow down your option by giving you detailed reviews and a sensory analysis on each of the dishes!

@kickinitwithsal

Episode 7 of Food Feuds: Rating which country makes better couscous. #food #couscous #moroccanfood #lambtagine #كسكس Moroccan Lamb Tagine Recipe: Lamb Onion Tumeric Ginger Salt & peppa Cilantro Turnips Zuchinni Carrots Potatoes Butternut squash Chickpeas Tunisian Lamb Tagine: Same ingredient but add chillies, tomato paste, harissa and tomatoes) Couscous

♬ original sound – Kickin’ it with Sal –

Recipe:

Time: 1 hour and 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of couscous
• 5 Lamb Shanks
• 15oz can of chickpeas
• 1 bundle of Italian parsley
• 2 zucchinis cut in strips and peeled
• 3 carrots peeled
• 1 onion roughly chopped
• 1 Turnip cut in strips and peeled
• 1 Potato cut in strips and peeled
• 4 strips of peeled butternut squash
• 3 tablespoons of ghee or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon of pepper
• 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• 3 cups of water

Directions:

• In a large pot, add oil and lamb on medium high heat. Brown the lamb. Doesn’t need to be fully cooked.
• Add onions and ghee into the pot
• Add pepper, ginger, and turmeric to the lamb. Do not add the salt yet.
• Add chickpeas to the pot and then add the water. The water should cover the lamb.
• Then add the Italian parsley. Let the meat boil for 40 mins.
• Add salt to taste, zucchini, butternut squash, turnip, potatoes and carrots.
• Let it boil for 20 min or until all veggies are soft.
• For the couscous, add couscous to a bowl or you can use the tajine. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of water. Mix it with your hands.
• In a saucepan, add 3 cups of water with salt to taste. Bring to a boil.
• Add couscous mixture into the saucepan and turn off the heat. Let it sit in there for 15 mins and then transfer onto the tagine. Fluff the couscous with a fork.
• Arrange the meat and veggies on top of the couscous. Make sure all the veggies are evenly placed. Add 2 laddles of broth on the couscous as well.