Couscous with Vegetables and Meat – Moroccan Style Recipe

Couscous with Vegetables and Meat – Moroccan Style Recipe

Welcome to today’s dish! We’re preparing one of the most famous Moroccan meals: couscous with vegetables and meat. This dish is a staple on dining tables in Morocco, and it mainly relies on couscous and meat. It is served with its flavorful vegetable broth. Let’s get started!

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Ingredients

 
Serves 4 people

• 1 kilogram beef or lamb

• ½ kilogram medium-grain couscous

• 1 cup chicken broth (or boiling water)

• 1 tablespoon Moroccan ghee (smen)

• Vegetable oil or olive oil

• 1 large onion, diced

• 1 large tomato, diced

• A small bunch of parsley and cilantro

• Boiling water

• Hot chili pepper

• Vegetables: cabbage (quartered), turnip, pumpkin, bell pepper (large, colored) — you can also use zucchini, carrots, or sweet potatoes (cut lengthwise into large pieces)

• Spices: turmeric, cinnamon, saffron (powder or threads), Moroccan ras el hanout spice mix, and 1 bouillon cube

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Preparation Method

1. Preparing the meat:
In a large pot over high heat, add olive oil, meat pieces, onion, tomato, parsley, cilantro, and spices (turmeric, cinnamon, saffron, ras el hanout, and the bouillon cube). Stir well until the vegetables soften and the meat browns.

Add boiling water or broth, stir, and leave to simmer for 30–40 minutes until the meat is cooked.

2. Preparing the vegetables and couscous:
Wash the vegetables (cabbage, turnip, pumpkin, onion, tomato, bell pepper, chili) well, dry them, and cut into quarters. Set aside.

In a bowl, place the couscous, season with salt, add 1 tablespoon oil and a little cold water. Mix well with your hands to separate the grains.

In another pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté the chopped vegetables briefly, then add broth. Place a steamer basket (couscoussier) over the pot, add the couscous, and steam it over the vegetables.

Steam the couscous for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a dish, mix with ghee, and return it to the steamer for another 10 minutes. Toss again to keep the grains fluffy. Now the couscous is ready.

Note: Pumpkin cooks faster than other vegetables, so remove it early while letting the rest finish cooking.

3. Assembling the dish:
In a large serving dish, place the couscous first, arrange the cooked vegetables beautifully on top, then add the meat over them. Pour some of the broth around the dish.

Preparation time: 60–75 minutes.

Bon appétit!