Moroccan cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Couscous Medfoun bel Lahm

Braised lamb with onions and raisins, buried under a mound of steamed couscous and only opened at the table.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 500 g couscous
• 800 g lamb shoulder (boneless)
• 3 onions
• 100 g raisins
• 100 g almonds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads
• 2 tbsp honey
• 80 g butter
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the lamb into 4 cm cubes, season with salt and pepper; slice the onions into thin half-rings and soak the raisins in lukewarm water.
2. Heat olive oil in a braising pot, sear the meat in two batches for 5 min each until well browned, then add the onions, cinnamon, ginger and saffron threads, deglaze with 500 ml water and braise covered for 70 min, until the meat is tender enough to fall apart with a spoon.
3. Sprinkle the couscous with 300 ml lukewarm salted water, fluff with your fingers and steam over water in two 20-minute rounds in a steamer basket, mixing in between with 200 ml water and 50 g butter.
4. Toast the almonds in the remaining butter for 5 min until golden, remove and chop roughly.
5. Add the drained raisins and the honey to the meat and reduce uncovered for 10 min, until the sauce turns dark and glossy with only the onions left to bind it.
6. Mound the meat in the center of a deep platter, completely cover it with the hot couscous into a hill, scatter with almonds and open only at the table with a spoon.