this recipe is one of the first I created and mastered. I love Moroccan food and hope to travel there one day. This recipe is fast and easy and you can easily substitute other ingredients. If you don't like olives you can use prunes, dates or apricots. I like fruit and meat together but I know a lot of people don't. I buy the lamb already diced from the supermarket but otherwise you can buy another cut of lamb and dice it yourself.
Ingredients
1 ½ kgs | Lamb, diced (Main) |
2 Tbsp | Olive oil |
1 large | Onion |
4 cloves | Garlic |
1 tsp | Ground cumin |
½ tsp | Paprika |
½ tsp | Ground coriander |
¼ tsp | Cinnamon |
¼ tsp | Cayenne pepper |
2 Tbsp | Honey |
½ cup | Kalamata olives |
2 cups | Couscous |
1 large | Lemon |
¼ cup | Slivered almonds |
1 can | Crushed tomatoes |
1 can | Chickpeas |
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C
- In a fry pan heat the olive oil on medium-high until hot. Brown the lamb, add some salt to season. Cook in batches in you need to.
- When the lamb is done transfer it to an over proof dish. Add the chopped onion, crushed garlic, spices, olives, tomatoes and chickpeas. (Rinse and drain the chickpeas first). Stir to combine all the ingredients. Cover the dish with a lid or foil and leave to cook for 1½ hours, until the lamb is tender. Remove the cover/foil halfway through to let the liquid reduce and thicken.
- To prepare the couscous. Pour 2 1/2 cups of boiling water over 2 cups of couscous. Add a teaspoon of salt and a dash of olive oil (optional). Cover and allow the couscous to swell for 5 minutes. Then stir to fluff it up. Grate the lemon and add the zest and almonds. You can add chopped coriander to garnish.