Tunisian Couscous with Lamb and Vegetables

About This Recipe

Tunisian Couscous with Lamb and Vegetables is a real, traditional Tunisian dish. Steamed couscous served with a rich, spicy harissa-laced lamb and root vegetable stew, Tunisia's national dish.\n\nCouscous has been the staple of Tunisian cuisine for centuries, traditionally hand-steamed multiple times over a simmering stew in a special two-tiered pot called a couscoussier, a technique passed down through generations of Tunisian households.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Tunisian home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gcouscous
• 800 glamb shoulder(cubed)
• 4 tbspolive oil
• 2yellow onions(diced)
• 4garlic cloves(minced)
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 2 tbspharissa paste
• 1 tspground caraway
• 1 tspground coriander
• 3carrots(cut into chunks)
• 2turnips(cut into chunks)
• 1zucchini(cut into chunks)
• 400 gcanned chickpeas(drained)
• 1.5 Lwater or stock
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the lamb

   Heat olive oil in a large pot and brown the lamb cubes on all sides; set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   Add onions and garlic to the same pot, cooking until soft, about 8 minutes.

3. 3

   Build the stew

   Stir in tomato paste, harissa, caraway and coriander, cooking for 1 minute, then return the lamb to the pot and add water or stock.

4. 4

   Simmer

   Cover and simmer for 1 hour until the lamb is nearly tender.

5. 5

   Add vegetables

   Add carrots, turnips, zucchini and chickpeas, and simmer for another 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

6. 6

   Steam the couscous and serve

   Prepare the couscous according to package instructions, steaming if possible over the simmering stew for extra flavor. Mound the couscous on a platter, top with the stew and vegetables, and serve hot.

Variations

• •

  A vegetarian version skips the lamb and uses extra chickpeas and vegetables for protein.

• •

  Some regions add a whole preserved lemon to the stew for extra brightness.

• •

  Use chicken instead of lamb for a lighter, quicker-cooking version.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions