For those who don’t know Couscous Tfaya, it’s a Moroccan-style couscous that is drizzled with a good sauce made from meat, onion and bouquet garni, and decorated with caramelized onions and raisins and, for those with a sweet tooth like me, almonds that I crush and lightly toast. Mmmmm, a treat!!!!
I saw this recipe at Oumotalal from the blog La cuisine d’Oumotalal, and I must say that I was immediately won over!! I also know that my daughters love couscous and that I don’t make it often, unlike North African families who prepare it once a week (usually on Fridays)!!!
Start by soaking the raisins in hot water.
Prepare Tfaya:
Melt the butter and add the chopped onions, salt, ginger, turmeric, pepper and cinnamon. Brown while stirring from time to time so that the onions do not stick.
Pour in 1/4 cup of water and mix everything together. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes or until the onions are cooked (remember to stir occasionally).
Drain the raisins and add them to the onions.
add the sugar and orange blossom. half cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes or until the onions caramelize, stirring occasionally.
Prepare the sauce:
In the couscous maker, heat the olive oil and add the chopped onion and the meat.
Brown on all sides.
Add the spices (cinnamon stick, ginger, salt and pepper, turmeric and saffron).
Add the bouquet of coriander and parsley.
add water and cook until meat falls apart.
Place the top of the couscous maker and cook the couscous as usual or see the recipe here. I steam the couscous 3 times. check the water in the sauce if it reduces too much add a little hot water.
At the end of cooking add the chickpeas if they are canned chickpeas otherwise add them at the start of cooking with the meat.
Arrange the couscous in a large deep plate. Shape into a cone and dig a well.
Place the meat in the center, drizzle with sauce. Decorate with caramelized onions and raisins.
Decorate with boiled egg cut into 4 if desired.
- For the broth:
- 500g lamb meat
- 1 onion, sliced
- ½ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- chickpeas soaked the day before or canned like me
- 1 cinnamon sticks
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1 pinch of crushed saffron
- Salt
- Olive oil
- ½ bunch of coriander and flat-leaf parsley
- Enough water to cover the meat
- Tfaya:
- 450 g finely chopped onion
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
- salt, pepper
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp ginger
- ½ cup of raisins (I used the blond and black ones)
- Couscous:
- 280 g couscous
- 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
- salt
- Start by soaking the raisins in hot water.
- Prepare Tfaya:
- Melt the butter and add the chopped onions, salt, ginger, turmeric, pepper and cinnamon. Brown while stirring from time to time so that the onions do not stick.
- Pour ¼ cup of water and mix everything. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes or until the onions are cooked (remember to stir occasionally).
- Drain the raisins and add them to the onions.
- add the sugar and orange blossom. half cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes or until the onions caramelize, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the broth:
- In the couscous maker, heat the olive oil and add the chopped onion and the meat.
- Fry back on all sides.
- Add the spices (cinnamon stick, ginger, salt and pepper, turmeric and saffron).
- Add the bouquet of coriander and parsley.
- add water and cook until meat falls apart.
- Place the top of the couscous maker and cook the couscous as usual or see the recipe on the link at the top of the article. I steam the couscous 3 times. check the water in the sauce if it reduces too much add a little hot water.
- At the end of cooking add the chickpeas if they are canned chickpeas otherwise add them at the start of cooking with the meat.
- Arrange the couscous in a large deep plate. Shape into a cone and dig a well.
- Place the meat in the center, drizzle with sauce. Decorate with caramelized onions and raisins.
- Decorate with boiled egg cut into 4 if desired.
