Delicious Tunisian Couscous Recipe Revealed
Laid-Back Tunisian Couscous with a Chickpea, Veggie, and Spice Extravaganza
Serves 4-6 (or one with a mighty appetite and leftovers galore)Difficulty: MediumTotal: Approximately 2 hoursActive Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients (10):
- 1 cup soaked and drained chickpeas
- 1/2 cup ras al hanout seasoning mix (find this bad boy here)
- 1 medium zucchini, peeled with stripes (leave the stripes for flair)
- 2 large turnips, peeled and chopped
- 3-4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
- 4-5 cups dry small- to medium-grain couscous
- 2 tablespoons fresh harissa paste (optional, for an extra kick)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Instructions:
- Soak chickpeas overnight and drain them the next day. If you're short on time, canned chickpeas will do the trick.
- Get your hands dirty and cook the couscous. Pour dry couscous into a large bowl, followed by hot water from a kettle, a bit at a time. Break up any clumps as you go, adding water four times in total.
- If you've got a good old couscoussier, use it! If not, a large double boiler with small holes in the upper portion works just as well. Williams-Sonoma sells one, you lazy so-and-so.
- Place the veggies (except the zucchini) in the bottom pot, cover with a generous amount of water, and bring it to a boil. Add the chickpeas, then let it simmer for at least an hour.
- Meanwhile, cook the zucchini in a skillet with a bit of oil until it's nice and tender. Set aside.
- In the last ten minutes of cooking, add the zucchini, salt, tomato paste, ras al hanout (about 1/2 cup), and a splash of olive oil to the simmering veggies and chickpeas.
- Now, toss that perfectly cooked couscous into the top portion of your steamer or double boiler, and steam it for 15-20 minutes.
- Transfer the couscous back into a large bowl, maintaining that coveted fluffiness. You can stir in a bit of the veggie broth for added flavor if you wish.
- If you're feeling fancy and need a show-stopping finale, arrange the cooked veggies and chickpeas artfully atop the couscous. Pour the velvety broth into a pitcher and drizzle it over the dish. For the adventurous, toss a dollop of harissa into the broth or serve it on the side.
- Whether you're serving it as an impressive main course or a side dish, this dish is traditionally paired with a roasted chile. We recommend a large, salty Hatch-style chile for a truly authentic experience.
Enrichment Data:
In Depth:
Tunisian Couscous: A Timeless Dish
The classic Tunisian couscous dish is a flavorful tapestry that combines chickpeas, a variety of hearty veggies, and aromatic spices like ras al hanout. This dish offers a taste of North African culinary tradition and is a delight for the senses.
Ras al Hanout: The Essence of Tunisian Flavor
Ras al hanout is a unique North African spice blend that varies in composition, but typically includes warm and aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and ginger. The blend is versatile and can be tailored to suit different recipes. For a simplified homemade ras al hanout, you can stir together equal parts cumin, coriander, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric[1][2].
- The crunchy turnips used in this Laid-Back Tunisian Couscous recipe can be categorized under the uncategorized food group.
- While cooking the chickpeas and vegetables, it's a good idea to prepare a simple turnip recipe on the side for a more varied nutrition profile.
- Khalifa might be intrigued by this recipe, as it follows the traditional Tunisian couscous dish, featuring nutrition-rich vegetables such as turnips.
- With its major ingredients including turnips, chickpeas, and veggies, this recipe would generally make a satisfying and healthy dinner option.
