Name: Tunisian Couscous
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 100 min
Ingredients: 2 lb lamb stew meat (cut into large pieces); 6 cups couscous fine semolina (or medium); 2 onions (finely chopped); 2 cloves garlic (pressed); 4 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 tablespoons harissa; 2 tablespoons ground caraway; 1 tablespoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon chili powder; 4 turnips (cut in half); 6 medium carrots (peeled); 4 zucchini (peeled lengthwise, alternately leaving a layer of skin); 6 small potatoes (peeled); 10 oz. chickpeas (canned); 4 green hot peppers (fried in oil (optional)); Vegetable oil; Salt; Pepper

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Tunisian couscous is a classic traditional dish that is comforting and flavorful. The couscous is steamed and served with meat, vegetables, and chickpeas.

Key Takeaways:

Couscous is a staple grain dish in North African cuisines, considered the national dish of Tunisia.
It consists of steamed semolina balls served with meat, vegetables, chickpeas and spicy harissa sauce.
Traditional Tunisian couscous often features lamb or fish with potatoes, carrots, zucchini and pumpkin.
Cooking the couscous involves steaming it in meat broth until light and fluffy before assembling the dish.

Tunisian couscous 1 — Image Credit: Facebook

What is Couscous?

Couscous is a staple in most Maghreb cuisines. It is known as the national dish in Tunisia, but also in Algeria and Morocco, as well as Mauritania and Libya. Tunisian couscous is one of the countless variations of this delicious and versatile dish.

It is thought that the original name of couscous (Arabic: كسكس) could have come from the Arabic word kaskasa, which means “to pound in small pieces” or from the Berber word seksu, which means “rounded” or “well rolled”.

It is called kousksi in Tunisia, taam, kosksi, or kesksu in Algeria, seksu in Morocco, and maftoul in Jordan and Lebanon. It is also used in Sicily where it is known as cuscusu.

Couscous is made from small durum semolina balls that are crushed and steamed. The color of the couscous is generally orange to red depending on the amount of meat broth and harissa that is added to it.

What Is Tunisian Couscous Made Of?

In Tunisia as in Algeria, there are a thousand and one ways to prepare couscous, in the coastal cities including Sfax we like to prepare couscous fish. In other areas, it is more often consumed with lamb and dried fruit.

The trickiest part of this recipe is preparing the vegetables. Therefore, here is a step-by-step guide on preparing the vegetables included in Tunisian Couscous.

– Potatoes: You will need about two medium-sized potatoes. First, you will wash and peel the potatoes. Then cut the potatoes lengthwise in half. To prevent the potatoes from turning black while you prep the other ingredients, soak them in a bowl of cold water and salt.

– Carrots: Wash and peel the carrots. Then cut them lengthwise in half.

– Zucchini: Wash the zucchini and slice the ends. Then cut each zucchini lengthwise into quarters.

– Pumpkin: You will want to slice the pumpkin into quarters and remove the seeds. If you can’t find a pumpkin, you can substitute it with squash or kabocha instead.

– Chilli Peper: Tunisian couscous is usually spicy and includes chili pepper or harissa.

How To Make Tunisian Couscous

In a cooking pot over medium-low heat, add the olive oil and allow it to get hot. Then add the onions and garlic and seer for 3-5 minutes or until the onions are translucent in color.

Then, add the beef fondue, paprika, ground coriander, ground turmeric, salt, pepper, and ground ginger. Seer the beef for 3-5 minutes to brown the sides of the meat.

Afterward, add all the vegetables, and tomato paste and pour boiling water into the cooking pot until all the vegetables are covered in water. Next, cover the cooking pot with the lid and allow the pot to simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

Now check the doneness of the vegetable. You can do this by inserting a fork into each vegetable. If the fork easily slides through the vegetable, it means it is cooked. Remove any cooked vegetables and set them aside for later.

Then, cook the meat for another 15 minutes and recheck the remaining vegetables. Remove any cooked vegetables, add the chickpeas and cook the meat for another 15 minutes with the lid on.

Once the meat is cooked, separate the meat and chickpeas from the chicken broth and set them aside for assembling.

Cooking the Couscous:

Cooking the couscous depends on the couscous brand you purchased. Read the package instructions to know how much liquid is needed to steam the couscous.

Then, add meat broth equal to the liquid measurement written on the package in a cooking pot and bring it to a boil.

Then, turn the heat off and add the couscous. Stir the couscous and immediately cover the cooking pot.

Allow the couscous to cook for 10 minutes without disturbing it. Then fluff the couscous using a fork to separate the granules.

Serving Tunisian Couscous

Tunisian couscous is traditionally served with fish, chicken, or red meat. A friendly and family dish with great flavors especially if we add the green peppers.

Arrange in a deep plate serving, make a well in the center and arrange the meat, as well as the vegetables around. Sprinkle with the sauce not too much you can add it during the tasting.

Be Sure to Try These Other Authentic Tunisian Dishes!

Be sure to recreate this incredible delicacy. Enjoy your Tunisian couscous!

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