About This Dish
The weekly ritual dish of Morocco, served every Friday after the noon prayer in virtually every household across the country. The number seven is sacred in Islamic tradition, representing completeness and blessing, and the seven vegetables are chosen for both symbolic and seasonal reasons. Typically carrots, turnips, zucchini, pumpkin, cabbage, tomatoes, and chickpeas are simmered in a fragrant saffron broth with lamb or chicken. Refusing a Friday couscous invitation is considered a serious social slight. This is more than a meal — it is Morocco's most important food tradition.
Ingredients
- 750 g Couscous (medium grain)
- 800 g Lamb shoulder, cut into pieces
- 4 Carrots, halved lengthwise
- 3 Turnips, quartered
- 3 Zucchini, cut in large pieces
- 300 g Pumpkin or butternut squash, cubed
- 1/4 head Cabbage, quartered
- 3 Tomatoes, quartered
- 1.5 cups Cooked chickpeas
- 2 Onions, quartered
- 1/2 tsp Saffron threads
- 1 tsp Ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp Ground turmeric
- 1 tsp Ras el hanout
- 60 g Butter
- 3 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 bunch each Fresh cilantro and parsley
- to taste Salt and pepper
Instructions
- 1
Place lamb, onions, tomatoes, oil, saffron, ginger, turmeric, ras el hanout, herbs, salt, and pepper in couscoussier bottom. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
- 2
Moisten couscous with salted water, rake to separate, rest 10 minutes.
- 3
First steaming: steam couscous over broth for 20 minutes.
- 4
After 1 hour, add carrots, turnips, and pumpkin to the broth.
- 5
Rake couscous with butter and water. Second steaming for 20 minutes.
- 6
Add cabbage and zucchini to the broth.
- 7
Rake couscous again. Third steaming for 20 minutes.
- 8
Add chickpeas for the final 10 minutes of cooking.
- 9
Mound couscous on platter, arrange vegetables and meat artfully, ladle some broth over.
- 10
Serve remaining broth in a separate bowl.
Tips & Tricks
- Add vegetables in order of cooking time: root vegetables first, soft vegetables last.
- The broth should be deeply flavored and golden from saffron.
- Each family has their own "seventh vegetable" — some use green beans, others use eggplant.
- Leftover broth is traditionally drunk as a soup the next day.