Kosksi bil Hout (Tunisian Fish Couscous)
Local name: كسكسي بالحوت
In short: Steamed couscous served with chunks of white fish simmered in a spicy tomato, harissa and caraway sauce with chickpeas and vegetables. It takes about 1 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 h 10 min
- Total
- 1 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 640 kcal
Fish couscous is a coastal Tunisian favorite. Firm white fish poaches in a bright red sauce of tomato, garlic, harissa and caraway alongside potatoes, pumpkin and chickpeas, while the couscous steams above the pot. The sauce is hotter and sharper than the lamb version, and a squeeze of lemon at the table lifts it further. The fish goes in at the very end so the pieces stay whole.
Instructions
- Rub the fish with 1 tsp of the salt and refrigerate while you make the sauce.
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, harissa, caraway, coriander and paprika for 1 minute.
- Add the water, the remaining salt, the chickpeas, potatoes and carrots. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.
- Tip the couscous into a bowl, sprinkle with 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the salted water and the oil, and rub the grains to break up lumps. Rest for 10 minutes.
- Set a steamer basket or cloth-lined colander over the pot, add the couscous and steam, covered loosely, for 20 minutes.
- Tip the couscous out, sprinkle with the remaining salted water and rake with a fork. Return it to the steamer. Add the pumpkin and green chili to the sauce and steam for another 15 minutes.
- Nestle the fish into the sauce and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, without stirring, until opaque and flaking easily (63°C / 145°F).
- Fluff the couscous and mound it on a platter. Arrange the fish and vegetables on top, ladle over some sauce and serve with lemon and extra harissa.
Tips
- Choose thick steaks or fillets, which hold together, and add the fish only at the end. Longer cooking breaks it into flakes.
- Ask the fishmonger for fish heads and bones and simmer them in the water for 20 minutes, then strain, for a much deeper broth.
Questions and answers
What fish is best for fish couscous?
Firm white fish such as grouper, hake, sea bass or cod. Avoid delicate fillets like sole, which fall apart in the sauce.
Can I make it ahead?
Make the sauce and vegetables up to a day ahead, then reheat them, add the fish and steam fresh couscous just before serving. Cook the fish on the day you eat it.
How spicy is it?
Medium-hot with 1 tbsp of harissa. Use 2 tbsp for a fiery sauce, or keep the sauce mild and pass extra harissa at the table.
How long does it take to make Kosksi bil Hout (Tunisian Fish Couscous)?
About 1 h 50 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 1 h 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Kosksi bil Hout (Tunisian Fish Couscous)?
About 640 kcal per serving, with 40 g of protein, 88 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 640 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 40 g |
| Carbohydrates | 88 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 1200 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
