Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Seffa de Couscous

While walking the aisles of my local supermarket, I came across some bottles of rose water.  I began to think about the type of dishes that would use this ingredient. Thanks to the trusty Internet, I was able to find a handful of recipes.  One recipe stuck out from the rest ... Seffa de Couscous. 

The dish is a sweet couscous dish that is popular in Morocco and Algeria.  The ingredients for this dish -- dried apricots, figs, dates, and raisins, along with cardamom, cinnamon and rose water -- really seemed interesting.  So, I gathered all of the ingredients, headed home and began my work in the kitchen.

This is a really easy dish to make.  Most of the work is cutting and dicing the dried fruits.  After poaching the dried fruit in a couple cups of boiling water, just add the rose water and prepare the couscous in accordance with its instructions


SEFFA DE COUSCOUS
Adapted from Tobias Cooks
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1 cup of Moroccan couscous
1 small handful of raisins
4-6 dried figs, diced
4-6 dried apricots, diced
4-6 dried dates, diced
2 spoons of sugar
1 orange, cut into sections
1/4 cup of roasted almonds
2 black cardamom seeds
2 green cardamom seeds
Cinnamon, to taste
1 tablespoon of rose water 

Directions:
1.  Prepare the couscous.  Heat up 2 cups of water in a pot to a boil. Add the diced fruits and poach them for a few minutes in boiling water.  Add the sugar, cardamom and rose water.  Then add the couscous and cook according to the couscous instructions.  

2.  Toast the almonds.  Heat a pan over medium high heat.  Add the almonds to the pan and toast until they become fragrant. 

3.  Finish the dish.  Remove the cardamom seeds.  Plate the couscous in a bowl or on a plate.  Place the almonds on top and sprinkle some cinnamon over the couscous.

ENJOY!

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