Couscous Tfaia
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons smen or gheehttps://recipecollector.eu/recipes/ghee/
- 3 onions finely sliced
- 50 g fresh root ginger peeled and chopped
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tablespoons sultanas or golden raisins
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads soaked in 4 tablespoons warm water
- 1½ tablespoons honey
- sea salt and black pepper
- small bunch of coriander finely chopped, to garnish
Couscous
- 350 g couscous
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 400 ml warm water
- 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 25 g butter cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Tip the couscous into an ovenproof dish.
- Stir the salt into the measurement water and pour over the couscous.
- Stir once to make sure all the grains are submerged in the water, then cover with a clean tea towel and leave to stand for 10–15 minutes.
- Rake a fork through the couscous to break up the grains.
- Then, using your fingers, rub the oil into the grains until light, airy and any lumps are broken up.
- Scatter over the butter and cover with a damp piece of greaseproof paper.
- Place in a preheated oven, 180°C , Gas Mark 4, for about 15–20 minutes until heated through.
- Meanwhile, heat the smen or ghee in the base of a tagine or a heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat, stir in the onions, ginger and cinnamon sticks and cook for 4 minutes to flavour the smen.
- Add the sultanas or raisins, saffron water and honey, then cover and cook gently for 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Pile the couscous in a conical mound on a shallow serving dish and use a spoon to create a hollow in the top.
- Spoon the tfaia into the hollow and around the base of the couscous and garnish with the coriander.
- Serve as an accompaniment with tagines or grilled dishes.