Libyan Couscous Recipes

LIBYAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Soak chick peas overnight. Drain and wash.
• Mix the couscous with salt, water, and olive oil, rub it well between the palms of your hands and let the mixture set aside for one hour.
• For this recipe it is recommended to use a steamer pan as the couscous cooks over the steam and not in stock. If you don't have one fill half a pot with water and top it with a colander but add the juice of half a lemon.
• Bring the water to boil and then add the coucous and let it cook over steam for 45 minutes.
• At this point fry your chicken or meat until cooked from the outside but still raw from the inside. Set aside.
• Meanwhile, prepare your stock by cooking your onions in some vegetable oil, then add tomato paste, chili powder, green pepper, turmeric and the rinsed chicken peas. Add your chicken or meat and allow to cook until well done.
• By now the 45 minutes of your couscous have elapsed. Take it out and place it in a bowl and add half a cup of the prepared stock. Make sure to scoop from the top of the stock pan not the bottom.
• Mix well and return the couscous to the steamer pot to cook for another hour.
• When it 'ready take out the now fully cooked coucous and mix in the flower water and cinnamon and butter and mix well until the butter melts.
• Arrange in serving dish. Dip your side vegetables in the sauce and arrange on top or on the side of your couscous.
• Serve the sauce on the side.

KUSKSU (LIBYAN COUSCOUS WITH SPICY BEEF AND VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and fry the beef until nicely browned on all sides. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
• Add the chili powder, hararat, tomatoes, tomato puree, beef stock, salt, and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
• Add the vegetables and garbanzo beans, return to a boil, reduce, cover and simmer for another 40 minutes until until the vegetables and beef are tender and the sauce has thickened.
• To serve, add the couscous to a serving platter, arrange the meat and vegetables on top then ladle the tomato-based sauce over everything.

LIBYAN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a frying pan over low heat, heat the oil. Fry the meat in the oil until it changes color with constant stirring.
• Add the onions and stir until wilted, then add the tomato paste, spices, chicken broth, and water, stirring constantly.
• Cover the pot and let it cook for 60 minutes until the meat is tender.
• Add potatoes and carrots, continue cooking for 10 minutes, then add chickpeas and zucchini. Leave the saucepan for an additional 6 minutes.
• In a separate saucepan over high heat, add a small amount of broth and bring to a boil.
• Add the couscous to the broth and cover the saucepan, stirring occasionally.
• Take the saucepan off the heat and set aside to let the couscous cook on steam.
• To serve, add the couscous to a serving platter, arrange the meat and vegetables on top then ladle the sauce over everything.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir couscous in the melted butter until slightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until most of the stock is absorbed and the couscous have plumped, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Stir heavy cream and pimientos into couscous; add cayenne pepper and cook until couscous is tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add more broth if needed.
• Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar cheese until melted; add chives and stir to combine. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.

TRADITIONAL NORTH AFRICAN COUSCOUS (THE REAL WAY!)

Steps:

• Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic & place it in a large heavy bottomed pan with the meat or chicken, ras el hanout & a little olive oil. Fry gently to seal the meat/chicken. I use my pressure cooker pr large cast iron casserole for this.
• Chop the carrot, parsnip and courgette into 6ths. Cut the potato into 1/4's and roughly chop the swede. Chop khourchef or celery into roughly same size as carrot. (Peel the carrots, potato, parsnip and swede).
• Add the vegetables to the meat along with 1L of water and turn up heat so they begin simmering. If using the chilli add it now, along with salt and pepper. If cooking in a regular pan then cook for 40 minutes like this. If using the pressure cooker as I do then 20 minutes will be enough.
• Add the tomatoes, chick peas and dried mint and 1/2L more water or enough to create a 'stew' consistency.
• Return to heat and cook in pan for further 30 minutes and if using pressure cooker then cook on med to high for a further 25 minutes.
• Take a 500g pack of medium couscous and pour into a gas'a if you have one. If not find the biggest bowl you have. Pick out any 'bits' and sprinkle water - about 50mls and a tsp of salt over the couscous and using your hand rub 1/2 tsp of oil through the couscous to stop it sticking. Fill a couscousier or steamer half full with the couscous (as it swells).
• When you 1st notice steam coming from the couscous, count 10 minutes. After that remove from the steamer, place in gas'a and use your hands to 'open' the couscous (rub it together between hands to remove clumps). This is very hot and you need to keep wetting you hand with cold water and sprinkling a little on the couscous.
• Return to steamer when thoroughly opened. Repeat process of steaming and opening twice more.
• Finally remove from steamer and place back in gas'a. Open for final time and rub a tbsp of ghee or smen into the couscous along with 2tsp of butter or margarine. Add salt to taste.
• Serve the couscous in the gas'a with sauce on top as traditional style or in tagine etc. Usually we place the meat/chicken in place - 1 for each guest and decorate the couscous with the veg before ladling some of the sauce over the top.
• If you used the chilli, put it on a plate and let people help themselves to it!

LIBYAN COUSCOUS WITH CHICKPEA, SQUASH, ZUCCHINI, AND EGGPLANT

Steps:

• 1. Soak the chickpeas in water to cover by at least 1 inch, for 8 hours or overnight. This will yield 2 cups of reconstituted chickpeas. 2. Heat 3 Tablespoons of the olive oil in the bottom of a coucousier or stockpot. Add the onions and saute until golden. 3. Drain the chickpeas, add to the onions in the stockpot, and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. 4. Add the carrots, squash, zucchini, eggplant, celery, cabbage, and potatoes to the stockpot. Then stir in the garlic, tumeric, 1/2 cup of the cilantro, 2 tablespoons of the snipped dill, and salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix well and bring to a boil. 5. Place the couscous in a cheesecloth-lined vegetable steamer or couscousier insert, and with your fingers, gently rub the grains to eliminate lumps. Set the insert in the couscousier or stockpot over the boiling vegetables. Cover, lower the heat and simmer for a half hour or until the vegetables are fork tender. Adjust the seasoning to taste. 6. Pour 1 cup of hot water slowly over the couscous into the pot, mixing it in with our fingers and the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil, as it is absorbed, again, separating the grains. Continue to steam for another 15 minutes. 7. Transfer the couscous to the center of a large serving dish, and again separate the grains with your fingers to fluff it. Spoon the vegetables around the edge and sprinkle on the remaining 2 Tablespoons each of cilantro and dill

LIBYAN SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a four-quart casserole or saucepan. Add onion and lamb or chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne or harissa, saffron and salt and pepper. Stir, then add 8 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
• Add orzo and chickpeas and cook 15 minutes, until orzo is tender. Add cilantro and parsley. Taste and adjust salt and cayenne or harissa. Add dried mint. Cook for 5 minutes, then serve.