VEGETABLE COUSCOUS WITH COUSCOUSSIER

Origin: Morocco

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 big onions, cut in big pieces
2 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 red bell pepper chopped finely
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
800 ml vegetable broth (you can mix vegetable broth in powder with boiling water)
5 large potatoes cut in big pieces
5 long eggplants cut in big pieces
1 tablespoon of chopped fresh coriander (or parsley)
400 gr chickpeas (already cooked)
800 couscous

Preparation

Put couscous into a very large shallow bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of oil. Mix the couscous with your hands to distribute the oil. The oil allows each grain of couscous to remain separate as it steams.

Now, add 200 ml water to the couscous, and mix it well again with your hands until the water is evenly distributed.

Lightly grease the interior of the steamer. Transfer the couscous to the steamer, taking care not to compress.

On the other side, heat olive oil in the couscoussier pot. Sautè the onion, garlic and ginger for several minutes until softened. Stir in the tomato paste, red bell pepper, spices and 200 ml of vegetable broth and bring to boiling. Add potatoes, eggplants and fresh coriander to the pot. Mix well. Add remaining 600ml vegetable broth to the pot, bring to boiling and then add the salt. Reduce heat and place the steamer with couscous on top of the couscoussier pot. Simmer for about 45 minutes until all the vegetables are cooked. Add chickpeas to the pot and simmer for 5 minutes more.

Decorate the steamed couscous with the vegetable stew and serve them together.