This past summer my husband and I took a trip to Morocco. After an adventurous day touring the Marrakech Shouk, we felt conspicuously out of place and were thankful to discover a kosher restaurant called Dar Ima. We ate a variety of delicious foods including Moroccan couscous with vegetables. After a long day of foreign sights and smells, this tasted just like home. When recreating the dish, I added chicken to turn the side dish into a meal. The chicken is first stewed with vegetables and then served on top of fluffy steamed couscous. The vegetables are cut into large pieces to prevent them from falling apart. The rich broth adds flavor as it is poured over the couscous and vegetables. Sahten!
Ingredients:
2 cups couscous
2 tbs olive oil
1 lb chicken thighs
1 cup chickpeas
1 onion, diced
2 tomatoes, sliced into large chunks
4 large carrots, cut into large chunks
1 green zucchini, cut into large chunks
1 sweet potato, cut into large chunks
3 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp turmeric
1 bunch fresh parsley and/or cilantro, tied by the stems
- In a medium pot, heat canola oil and add onion. Sauté onion until browned.
- Add tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, chickpeas, chicken, parsley, and water to cover. Add salt to taste. Cover, and bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 30-45 minutes.
- Remove chicken thighs and debone and shred into pieces. Add chicken back to pot.
- In a glass bowl, add couscous, 2 cups of boiling water and olive oil. Give a quick stir and cover with saran wrap. Allow to sit for ten minutes and then fluff couscous with a fork.
- To serve, plate couscous in a bowl, and carefully add the vegetables and chicken. Pour some broth on top and finish with some parsley or cilantro.