Épice

Spiced vegetable couscous

Our version of vegetable couscous: carrots, turnip and chickpeas simmered with Madagascar turmeric, curry and ginger, semolina steamed and fluffed.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cooking 30 min
  • Total 50 min
  • Serves 4 servings
  • Difficulty Easy

Here is our version of vegetable couscous, the family dish from the Maghreb where semolina swollen with steam accompanies a stew of seasonal vegetables. Turmeric, curry and ginger, prepared in Vangaindrano, in south-eastern Madagascar, flavour the broth as soon as they meet the hot oil.

The semolina and vegetables cook separately: the semolina swells in the steam of boiling water while the vegetables simmer in their spiced broth, before meeting on the plate.

Method

Preparation

  1. Peel and slice the onion. Peel the carrots and turnip, cut them into large chunks along with the courgette.
  2. In a casserole dish, sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes.
  3. Add the turmeric, curry, ginger and black pepper, and sauté for 30 seconds while stirring, until fragrant.
  4. Add the carrots, turnip, tomatoes cut into wedges and the chickpeas. Cover with water or stock, season with salt, cover the casserole dish and leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Add the courgette and continue cooking for 10 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.
  6. Meanwhile, pour the semolina into a deep dish, season it with salt and pour over an equal volume of boiling water. Cover and leave to swell for 5 minutes.
  7. Fluff the semolina with a fork, adding the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, so it stays light and lump-free.
  8. Serve the semolina topped with the vegetables and coated with the cooking stock.
Chef's tip

The little extra that changes everything

Sauté the ground spices for 30 seconds in the hot oil, no more: they develop their aroma on contact with the heat but burn and turn bitter if left too long before adding the liquid. The step is detailed in sautéing spices in oil. For a couscous rich in legumes, also see spices and legumes. Our products for this recipe: Madagascar turmeric, Madagascar curry, Madagascar ginger

Frequently asked questions

About this recipe

Can the chickpeas be replaced with white beans?
Yes, cooked white beans of the same weight cook in the same time and fit in the same way.
Can the simmered vegetables be made ahead?
Yes, they keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator and reheat gently; the semolina is prepared just before serving.
Can this dish be frozen?
Yes for the simmered vegetables alone; the semolina, on the other hand, is best made fresh each time to stay light.
In the kitchen

Four moves with one bean

What to do with a whole bean, from the first cut to the sugar jar.

01 Split 30 s

Knife tip halfway through, one single pass along the whole length.

02 Scrape 1 min

Scrape both halves with a spoon. That black is the flavour.

03 Infuse 20 min

Seeds and bean into the hot milk, off the heat, covered.

Vanilla beans laid on a white plate
04 Reuse 1 week

Rinse the emptied bean, let it dry, then slip it into the sugar.

One bean serves twice
Exceptional ingredients

Our products for this recipe

Ground Madagascar ginger (spice jar 40g)
Madagascar Ginger Powder, 40g Shaker Jar7,00 € 4,90 €
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