Kosksi bil Allouch (Tunisian Lamb Couscous)
Local name: كسكسي بالعلوش
In short: Steamed couscous piled under tender lamb, chickpeas and vegetables in a chili-red sauce with harissa, the Friday family meal of Tunisia. It takes about 3 h 10 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 2 h 30 min
- Total
- 3 h 10 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 820 kcal
Couscous is the meal Tunisian families gather around on Fridays and at celebrations. The grains are steamed over a pot of lamb and vegetable stew, then heaped on a wide platter and ladled with a red sauce spiked with harissa and tabil. Chickpeas, pumpkin, carrots and potatoes cook alongside the meat, and a whole green chili is often tucked on top. This version needs only a regular pot and a steamer basket or colander.
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the lamb in two batches, about 8 minutes per batch. Move the meat to a plate.
- Cook the onion in the same pot for 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, harissa, tabil and paprika and cook for 1 minute.
- Return the lamb to the pot, add the water and salt, and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam, then cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.
- Tip the couscous into a large bowl. Sprinkle with 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the salted water and the 2 tbsp oil, and rub the grains between your fingers to break up lumps. Rest for 10 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas, carrots and potatoes to the pot. Set a steamer basket or a colander lined with a clean cloth over the pot, add the couscous, and steam, covered loosely, for 20 minutes.
- Tip the hot couscous into the bowl, sprinkle with the remaining salted water and rake it with a fork. Return it to the steamer, and add the pumpkin, zucchini and whole chili to the stew. Steam for another 20 minutes.
- Check that the lamb is fork-tender and the vegetables are soft. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and harissa.
- Heap the couscous on a wide platter, fluff with 1 tbsp oil and moisten with a ladle of sauce. Arrange the meat and vegetables on top and serve with the remaining sauce and extra harissa.
Tips
- No steamer? Pour about 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) boiling salted water over the couscous with a spoonful of oil, cover for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork. It will be softer than steamed grains.
- For a vegetable-only version, leave out the lamb, add turnips and extra pumpkin, and simmer the sauce for 40 minutes before adding the chickpeas.
Questions and answers
Can I make Tunisian couscous ahead of time?
Make the stew up to 2 days ahead, since it tastes better overnight, then reheat it and steam fresh couscous just before serving. Stored couscous turns gummy, though leftovers can be fluffed with a splash of water.
Can I freeze the lamb stew?
Yes. Freeze the lamb and sauce, without the potatoes and zucchini, for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add fresh vegetables when you reheat.
What is different about Tunisian couscous?
It is usually redder and hotter than other North African versions, built on tomato paste, harissa and tabil, with a whole chili on top and chickpeas and pumpkin in the pot.
How long does it take to make Kosksi bil Allouch (Tunisian Lamb Couscous)?
About 3 h 10 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 2 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kosksi bil Allouch (Tunisian Lamb Couscous)?
About 820 kcal per serving, with 40 g of protein, 84 g of carbohydrates and 37 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 820 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 40 g |
| Carbohydrates | 84 g |
| Fat | 37 g |
| Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 1100 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
