The first time I ever had Moroccan food was in Morocco actually. I spent some time in Spain when I was a child and we made a family trip to Gibralter and then took a ferry across the Strait of Gibralter to Tangier, Morocco. I was small when we were there and there were crowds of street vendors surrounding and hounding us everywhere we went, so I didn't exactly have the best time in Tangier. As a child, that was scary. The greatest part of the visit for me was the very calm and welcoming restaurant our tour guide took us to for lunch. I can still smell the aroma of mint in the air and see how they poured the mint tea for us (much like this). So when my dad and I traveled to Miami, FL, my senior year of high school to assess a college I was considering attending and we passed a Moroccan restaurant, I insisted we try it since I had such fond memories of the restaurant in Morocco I visited as a kid. And that is where the inspiration for the following recipe was born.
I can't recall the name of the restaurant in Miami, or even where it was, but I do remember being so impressed with the meal I ate there that I still consider it some of the tastiest food I have ever had. I loved it so much that I decided to figure out how to make it myself when I got home. This recipe comes pretty close, actually, and that is why I am proud to share it with you today.
This recipe includes couscous, which looks sort of like some funky kind of grain or rice, but it is actually a pasta. Some people aren't fans of couscous (which I don't understand - it tastes like pasta to me!), but if you've never used it before, give it a try. And if you've had it before and don't care for it, I say still give this recipe a shot. Try it one more time, for me. I mean the simple fact that it's so easy and fast to prepare should convice you that you need to be a fan!
You will note that I use turmeric in this recipe, which is traditionally a spice used in Indian cooking. I love turmeric and it is very good for you, so I tend to use it in a variety of recipes. The amount used here is small, so the finished product still tastes like a Moroccan dish and not an Indian one.
Before we get started, I want to give a shout out to two very special people who are celebrating birthdays today! My dad's girlfriend, Elaine, and my friend Grace's son, Paxton, who is celebrating his very first birthday today! Happy Birthday guys!
OK, let's get cookin'!
Moroccan Style Veggies with Couscous
Servings: 3
Prep. time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
For the Veggies
5 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium sweet onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt, sea or grey
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon powdered yellow curry
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets
1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
For the Couscous
1 cup water
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon powdered yellow curry
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of salt
3/4 cup dry couscous
Heat a skillet (that has a matching lid) on the stove over medium-low heat. Add 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil. Add the carrots and sweet potato to the skillet. Toss to coat them in the oil and then allow to cook for about five minutes on their own.
Next, add the onion. Stir to distribute it amongst the potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
Now add in your spices. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the powdered yellow curry, 1/8 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon, along with all of the turmeric and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir to coat the veggies with the spices.
Place a lid over the skillet and let it simmer for five minutes. After five minutes, remove the lid and add the veggie stock and raisins to the mixture. Stir. Place the lid back on and cook for ten minutes.
After ten minutes, add the broccoli florets. At this time we're also going to add the last bit of our ground cumin and powdered yellow curry, which should be 1/4 teaspoon of each. Stir to combine and then place the lid back on and cook for five more minutes.
While the veggies are finishing up, prepare the couscous.
Place the water in a medium sized pot that has a lid. Add all of the spices designated for the couscous, which should be: 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon powdered curry, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Also add the 2 teaspoons EVOO at this time.
Stir the mixture, place the pot on the stove over high heat, and bring the water to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, add the couscous, stir, place the lid over the pot, and remove from the heat. Let stand for five minutes with the lid on.
Back to the veggies real quick. Once the broccoli has been cooking covered for five minutes, remove the lid and turn the burner off.
After the couscous has stood covered for five minutes, remove the lid and fluff it with a fork. Do so by pressing the back of the fork into the couscous. Stir.
Scoop a large spoonful of couscous onto the center of your serving plate. Spoon some veggies on top of the couscous.
Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon EVOO over each serving of the couscous and veggies. Sprinkle all the tops with a bit of cinnamon and 1/3 of the chopped mint.
Serve with some hot or iced mint tea and enjoy! Salute! Or as they say in Morocco, saha wa'afiab!
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