Monday 21 November 2011

Libyan Couscous bil Busla (couscous with onion topping)

Libyan Couscous bil Busla (couscous with onions)

Ingredients:

Couscous
2 1/2 cups couscous
1 1/2 cups stock

Sauce
Meat (lamb, beef or chicken)
1 onion chopped
2 1/2 large spoons tomato paste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt 
oil for frying the onion
approximately one litre of hot water

Busla
Approximately 7 medium onions, halved and sliced
1/2 cup chickpeas


Directions:

In a large  bowl measure 2 1/2 cups couscous, in a measuring cup make 1 1/2 cups of stock.


Pour the hot stock over the couscous and mix thoroughly.


Cover and let rest for about 5 minutes.


Uncover and fluff up the cousous


Break up any lumps 


 Peel and slice about seven medium onions


Break apart the slices


Heat some oil in a pot, add the chopped onion


Cook until golden


Add 2 1/2 spoons of tomato paste


Cook & stir until the oil turns a reddish colour, you may want to turn down the heat so the tomato paste doesn't burn 


Add the chucks of meat and cook and stir


Add approx 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or to taste)


Add approx 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric


Add approx 1 teaspoon of salt (more or less according to taste) 


Add approx 1 litre of boiling water, bring to a boil, cover and cook on medium high


Put sliced onions and the steamer


Place steamer on top of pot, cover


After about 20 minutes, check the onions they should be getting soft, add a dash of salt


Add about 1/2 cup of canned or cooked chickpeas, let cook till onions are tender but not mushy


In a small saucepan, melt a spoon of ghee


Add the steamed onions to the melted ghee


Add a few ladles (about 3 or 4) of the sauce to the onions


Sprinkle in some cinnamon


Add the couscous to the steamer


Place the steamer on top of the sauce pot. Make sure you have enough liquid, if not add a cup or so of boiling water


You can put some pieces of plastic wrap around the pot where the pot and the steamer meet so that the steam is sealed in. Let it cook for about 20 minutes.


Check to see if it's fluffy, then it's done


The onions should resemble this when they are done


Put the cooked couscous in a large bowl


Break up any lumps


Sprinkle some allspice over the couscous

9 comments:

  1. looks delicious, tastes perfect!
    Thanks for sharing

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  2. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe..! It brings back my childhood memories in Libya.. Do you use hararat spice powder for these recipes?

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  3. Thanks for the recipe, I thought they used a different spice for couscous?

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  4. I remember pieces of pumpkin and peeled potato halves on top. otherwise your recipe sounds perfect. I will try over the weekend with lamb shoulder. A little fatty lamb is more tasty, it melts as you cook it. I love the onions on top!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I remember pieces of pumpkin and peeled potato halves on top. otherwise your recipe sounds perfect. I will try over the weekend with lamb shoulder. A little fatty lamb is more tasty, it melts as you cook it. I love the onions on top!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you so much, I have friends who asked me for the recipe and I am glad that I found it here.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you very much for the recipe tastes great.

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