Seven-Vegetable Couscous

Ingredients

• 500g medium-grain couscous
• 500g lamb or beef stewing meat, cut into large chunks
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1.5 liters water or stock
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 turnip, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 300g pumpkin or squash, cut into large chunks
• 1 zucchini, cut into large chunks
• 1/4 head green cabbage, cut into wedges
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 200g cooked chickpeas
• 3 tbsp butter
• A handful fresh coriander and parsley, chopped

Before you cook

• Cube the meat into large chunks
• Chop the onions
• Peel and cut the carrots and turnip into large chunks
• Cut the pumpkin into large chunks
• Cut the zucchini into large chunks
• Cut the cabbage into wedges
• Chop the tomatoes
• Chop the coriander and parsley
• Spread the dry couscous in a wide, shallow bowl and rub in 1 tbsp of the olive oil with your fingers

Steps

1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in the bottom pot of a couscoussière, or a large heavy pot, over medium heat
2. Add the chopped onions and cubed meat
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is browned on all sides, about 8 minutes
4. Stir in the turmeric, ginger, cinnamon stick, salt, and pepper until the meat is well coated
5. Pour in the water or stock
6. Bring the pot to a boil
7. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes
8. Set a couscous steamer basket, or a fine metal sieve lined with cheesecloth, over the simmering pot, making sure the base does not touch the liquid
9. Spread the prepared couscous evenly in the steamer basket
10. Steam the couscous, uncovered, for 20 minutes, letting the rising steam pass up through the grains
11. Tip the steamed couscous back into the wide bowl
12. Sprinkle it with a little cold water and rub the grains between your fingers to break up any lumps, then let it rest a few minutes
13. Return the fluffed couscous to the steamer basket and set it back over the pot
14. Add the carrot and turnip chunks to the pot beneath the steamer
15. Steam the couscous a second time for 20 minutes while the carrot and turnip simmer below
16. Tip the couscous back into the bowl once more
17. Add the chickpeas and chopped tomatoes to the pot
18. Simmer the pot, uncovered, for 10 minutes
19. Add the pumpkin and cabbage wedges to the pot
20. Simmer for 15 minutes
21. Add the zucchini to the pot
22. Simmer a final 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are fork-tender
23. Fluff the couscous one last time, working in the butter with your fingers to separate the grains
24. Mound the couscous onto a large serving platter
25. Press a well into the center of the mound with the back of a spoon
26. Lift the meat out of the pot and place it in the well
27. Arrange the vegetables over and around the couscous
28. Ladle some of the hot cooking broth over the couscous to moisten it
29. Scatter the chopped coriander and parsley over the top
30. Serve hot, with the remaining broth on the side