IFTAR INNOVATIONS–

Fancy a rich Moroccan meal with couscous, chicken AND vegetables — topped with caramelized onions, almonds, and raisins? This recipe is a feast for all members of the family and a party pleaser if you have guests. It’s sure to impress everyone with its variety of colors, flavors and presentation.

A little bit of history: The word couscous comes from the Berber word keskas, which refers to the dish the couscous is cooked in. What we call “couscous” is actually known as smida in North Africa and refers to tiny balls of heavenly semolina flours made of durum wheat. The Berbers who introduced the meal about 2k years ago also invented the tagine, the slow cooking pot that makes the grain from scratch with wheat and water.

Couscous may be a staple across North Africa, every country — heck, every family — has its own way of preparing it. This Enterprise editor’s favorite way to do it? The Moroccan way. Read on:

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 large onions, one chopped and one diced (300g)
  • 700g chicken broth
  • 1 liter of water
  • 1 kilo of chicken breast cut into large cubes.
  • 125 grams dried chickpeas soaked in cold water overnight and drained (or 250 grams canned chickpeas, drained)
  • 100 grams of fresh coriander, diced
  • 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped in 2 centimeter pieces
  • 1 large sweet potato (250 grams), peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 300 grams turnip, peeled and cut into 3 centimeter lengths
  • 3 carrots (300 grams), scraped and cut into 4 centimeter lengths
  • 3 zucchinis (300 grams), peeled and cut into 4 centimeter lengths
  • 300 grams of pumpkin, seeded and cut into large chunks
  • 4 cups of prepackaged medium grain couscous (650g)

For the garnish:

  • One teaspoon of cinnamon
  • One onion
  • Half a cup of halved almonds
  • Half a cup of golden raisins
  • One teaspoon of brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of ras el hanoot spice mix (which you can find at any spice shop)

Want to make your own ras el hanoot spice mix? It’s simple: Mix 1 teaspoon each of salt, ground turmeric, ground ginger and cinnamon. Add a half teaspoon of ground black pepper and a pinch of nutmeg and saffron.

Cooking time: 60 mins

Instructions:

  • In a large, deep cooking pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chicken.
  • Flip the chicken over once lightly browned and leave to cook for 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the chopped onions, followed by the tomato, then add spices, broth, and one liter of water.
  • Cover with a lid, and turn the heat to medium low. Let the pot simmer for about 45 minutes, then add the vegetables.
  • Start with the carrots and turnips, then after 10 minutes, add the pumpkins, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Leave the zucchinis till the end so they don’t break.
  • Add the fresh green coriander and turn off the heat.

For the couscous, there are two ways to do it: The easy way and the crunchy way (but the latter will take about 10 minutes more for you to make).

  • The easy way: Split the large pot of vegetables, chicken and sauce into two, and add the pack of couscous to one pot, giving it one stir right before you turn off the heat.
  • If you like your couscous crunchy, put the dried couscous into a separate pot along with two glasses of warm water, and two spoons of olive oil. Hand fluff it and put it in a large baking tray in the oven on medium heat for 15 minutes until they crisp up, and take it out of the oven as soon as it gets that golden color.

Now for the fun part: Place two separate frying pans on low heat. In a non-stick pan, fry up some halved almonds, and in the other pan, add half a spoon of butter or vegetable oil, followed with raisins, diced onion, and cinnamon. Keep stirring both.

Assembly: In a large deep serving plate, put the couscous first, then add the vegetables, chicken, and sauce. Top with the garnish.

We hope you enjoy this crowd pleaser, and don’t forget to take a photo of your dish and send it to us on editorial@enterprisemea.com.

🍴 HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Tent season is upon us and Layalina is back. The outdoor, month-long affair has a venue east of the city at Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski New Cairo and another in Zed Park, sparing those of us living on either side of the city the commute. While Zed Park offers a set menu for suhoor featuring oriental favorites, Kempinski has an open buffet.

On weekends, both venues host singers for some live entertainment. You can book through the numbers on Layalina’s website or their Facebook page.

💵 Per person: 700-1200

🪑 Outdoor seating: Yes

🦽 Accessibility friendly:Yes

📚 FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Margaret Atwood is back with Old Babes in the Wood: Storiesafter a lengthy hiatus from fiction. The Handmaid’s Tale author’s latest work earned a 3.96 average rating on Goodreads and is currently a national bestseller in the United States, with a NY Times review stating that if you “have only read her novels: Get your act together. You’ve been missing out.”

Atwood’s almost bone chilling skill in depicting dystopian realities is as compelling as her ability to touch on universal themes with a fresh perspective. In “Widows,” she writes about love and loss — drawing from the passing of her husband. In other stories, she places covid at center stage. And then it gets complicated. Several stories span topics including aliens, witches, and customer service agents. It’s a whirlwind of refreshing, unexpected twists to combine the supernatural with the universal.

About Atwood: The Canadian author was born in Ontario in 1939. After completing her undergraduate studies in Toronto, she earned an MA in Massachusetts’ Radcliffe College. Her decades-long career is as versatile as it is prolific: Atwood’s bibliography includes almost twenty novels, three graphic novels, eight children’s books, in addition to a play and a dozen non-fiction titles. She is also an accomplished poet, editor, and playwright. Several of her works have been adapted to the screen including hit TV shows The Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace.

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