This Moroccan Couscous features tender lamb shanks cooked in a flavor-packed broth infused with aromatic spices like turmeric and black pepper for a tasty and hearty dinner meal!
Jump to:
- WHAT IS MOROCCAN COUSCOUS?
- WHAT MAKES THIS MOROCCAN COUSCOUS RECIPE SPECIAL?
- IS COUSCOUS HEALTHIER THAN RICE?
- 🥘 INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED FOR MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
- 🔪 HOW TO MAKE MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
- 💭 COOKING TIPS FOR MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
- 📖 DELICIOUS VARIATIONS FOR MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
- 🍲 MORE DINNER RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
- 🌡️ HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
The lamb is paired with a colorful assortment of vegetables, including carrots, zucchinis, and cabbage, which add texture and flavor to the dish. The result is a delicious and nutritious meal that is perfect for sharing with family and friends!
Moroccan cuisine has been influenced by very diverse cultures throughout history which has made it a vibrant and colorful fusion of flavors and spices, and this recipe is no exception!
Couscous is one of the most popular Morrocan dishes and it's a hearty and satisfying meal made with tender meat, fresh vegetables, and fragrant spices. The bold and complex flavors of Moroccan couscous are a perfect and delicious representation of the rich culinary heritage and cultural diversity of Morocco.
Whether you are an experienced cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this Moroccan couscous recipe is sure to impress and become one of your favorites. So, gather your ingredients, put on some traditional Moroccan music, and let's start a culinary journey to the exotic land of Morocco!
WHAT IS MOROCCAN COUSCOUS?
This Moroccan couscous recipe is a traditional dish people enjoy it throughout Morocco and many other parts of the world.
It's made from tender lamb meat that is served with a flavorful broth made with chickpeas, vegetables, and the perfect combination of spices. You can use different kinds of meat in Moroccan couscous, but lamb is definitely the tastiest!
Moroccan couscous is served on special occasions and family gatherings and is definitely a staple of Moroccan cuisine. It has become popular in many other parts of the world, where Moroccans serve it in restaurants or made at home by anyone that loves the rich flavors and textures of this traditional dish!
WHAT MAKES THIS MOROCCAN COUSCOUS RECIPE SPECIAL?
Easy to Make: The best thing about this recipe is how incredibly easy it is to make! With some simple ingredients, you'll be able to make a comforting and delicious meal that's perfect for your family.
Packed with Flavor: The delicious combination of veggies and spices in the broth pairs perfectly with the tender lamb shanks to make a mouthwatering and succulent dish!
Super Healthy: This recipe is loaded with vitamins and minerals! It has tons of vitamins A, C, and K, and plenty of potassium, fiber, iron, and magnesium.
Deliciously Exotic: You can bring the flavors of North Africa right to your kitchen with this delectable dish that really captures the rich culinary heritage of Morocco without any complicated steps or ingredients!
IS COUSCOUS HEALTHIER THAN RICE?
While both couscous and rice have health benefits, Moroccan couscous definitely comes out on top in comparison. For starters, couscous has about 30 fewer calories per serving than rice, making it a better option for those that might be on a diet.
Couscous also has more minerals than rice, including potassium, iron, and magnesium. This makes couscous the better option for a more complete and well-balanced diet.
Lastly, couscous has fewer carbs and more protein than rice. This may be either good or bad depending on your diet goals, but all in all, couscous is the slightly healthier option if you compare it to rice.
🥘 INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED FOR MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
All you need are some simple ingredients that you can easily find in your local grocery store. Let's look at the main ingredients in more detail:
You can scroll down to the recipe card for further details and instructions.
Lamb: We're going to use lamb as the meat in our Moroccan couscous recipe. It has a tender texture and rich, fatty taste that is perfect with the flavors in the broth.
Couscous: This wheat product has a light and fluffy texture that will add its own slightly nutty taste to the broth flavors it will absorb when we serve this dish.
Spices: We'll be using spices such as turmeric and black pepper. The spice combination in this recipe will give us a warm, earthy, spicy, slightly sweet taste that has a great aroma!
Veggies: Aside from the health benefits, the vegetables we'll use in this recipe give a great mildly sweet yet earthy flavor to our broth that not only makes it hearty but also absolutely delicious!
🔪 HOW TO MAKE MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
Making Moroccan Couscous at home is incredibly simple and easy. In just a few steps, you'll have an exotic and delicious dish that your friends and family will fall in love with.
The full instructions are in the recipe card below, but let's look at the main steps to making this treat.
Step 1:
First, in a large pan, warm the ghee and oil then add the lamb shanks and cook them on both sides until you see some brown patches. Add the onions to the pan and fry them with the lamb shanks until they're translucent, then add the tomato and mix well. Cook this mixture for 3 minutes.
Step 2:
Next, add turmeric and black pepper. Cover the pan and allow everything to cook on medium-low heat, allowing the tomato and lamb to release all their liquids, then pour in the boiling water, bouillon, tomato paste, and salt. Mix well then re-cover the pan and cook for 45 to 50 minutes.
Step 3 :
When the lamb is fully cooked, you have two options:
Option 1: Add the vegetables to the pan and let it cook for 10 more minutes. This option will give the sauce more of a boiled vegetable taste, especially cabbage, rather than the spices we used.
Option 2: Take a quarter of the sauce and transfer it to another pan, then add the vegetables and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes, adding more boiling water if you see the sauce reducing too quickly. This option will make the sauce taste more like the spices we used and less like boiled vegetables.
Step 4:
Cook the couscous per the instructions on the package, then place it on a plate. Put a lamb shank on it, add vegetables, and pour sauce over it.
Your delicious Morrocan Couscous is ready!
💭 COOKING TIPS FOR MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
Use fresh ingredients: Fresh herbs, vegetables, spices, and meats will all add to the flavor of your Moroccan couscous dish. Try to use fresh ingredients when possible for the best flavor.
Taste as you go: Taste the sauce and dish at different stages of the cooking process to make sure that it is developing the flavors you want. If something isn’t quite the way you want it, adjust your ingredients or cooking time accordingly.
Simmer slowly: For the best results, let your sauce simmer slowly to allow all the flavors to blend together well. This will also help make sure that your lamb shank is cooked all the way through.
📖 DELICIOUS VARIATIONS FOR MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
Moroccan couscous can be made in a variety of ways to suit your tastes. Some delicious variations include:
Meat: You can change the flavor of this recipe to your liking by replacing the lamb with beef, chicken, or even mutton.
Nuts: You can also add some of your favorite nuts on top before serving this delicious Moroccan dish. Almonds work beautifully with the flavors of the lamb and couscous.
Veggies: Feel free to add any other vegetables you love, such as bell peppers or red onions.
Spicier: Throw in some cayenne pepper seasoning or raw peppers to your vegetables for an extra kick.
Sweeter: Try adding some sweet dried fruit like raisins to the sauce for a subtle sweetness.
🍲 MORE DINNER RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
🌡️ HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER MOROCCAN COUSCOUS
You can store any leftover Moroccan couscous in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Alternatively, you can even freeze this tasty dish! Allow the couscous to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
You can easily reheat this tasty Moroccan dish in a large skillet on the stove over medium-low heat. Another way to reheat it is simply in the microwave until its warm all the way through.
📖 Recipe
Authentic Moroccan Couscous (Hearty Meal with Lamb Shanks)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 lamb shanks
- 1 medium onion cut into slices
- 1 deseeded tomato chopped
- 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups boiling water
- 1 beef or chicken bouillon
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 carrots cut in quarters vertically
- 2 zucchinis cut in quarter vertically
- ¼ cabbage cut in half
- ½ cup canned chickpeas washed and rained
Instructions
- In a large pan, add the ghee and olive oil, when hot, add the lamb shanks and cook on both sides until you see some brown patches.
- Add the onion to the pan and fry with the lamb shanks until the onion is translucent. Now, add the tomato and mix well.
- After three minutes of cooking add the turmeric and black pepper. Cover the pan and cook on medium low allowing the tomato and the lamb to release liquids.
- Pour the boiling water, the bouillon, tomato paste, and salt. Mix well, and cover.
- Cook the lamb shanks for 45 to 50 minutes on medium heat. The lamb shanks should be fully cooked.
- Now you have two options:1- Add the vegetables to the pan and let it cook for 10 minutes. But keep in mind that this method will give the sauce more of a boiled vegetable taste than the spices used, especially cabbage, it will alter the taste of the sauce. Some people do not mind it.2- Take quarter of the sauce and transfer it to another pan, add the vegetables to it and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat, you can add more boiling water to the sauce if it is reducing quickly. This way the flavor of the boiled vegetables will not alter the taste of the lamb shanks and the spices in the remaining sauce.
- Cook the couscous as per the instruction on the package.
- To serve, add the couscous to a plate, then add the lamb shank, and then add the vegetables and pour some sauce on top.
Video
Notes
- The sauce's flavor comes from the lamb shanks, onion, and the simple spices mentioned in the recipe card. If you add vegetables like cabbage and zucchini, they will reduce the flavor. Please read the recipe above carefully to know what to do.
- There are many brands of Couscous. Some taste rancid. Make sure to use a good brand. The one I have used in the video is not all that, but it's what I got at the time.
- You can use chicken stock, but it's better to use one with less salt to have more control over the seasoning.
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