Israeli Moghrabieh
I absolutely love grains and pulses anytime of the year in particular during the cooler months.
Israeli Moghrabieh or giant couscous as you may know it, is a much loved traditional dish of Middle- East exhibiting in many cuisines such as Israeli, Lebanese and Palestinian. Moghrabieh in Arabic translates to a dish from Maghreb.
Making couscous is like an art… thinking of different ways of making this blank canvas (or should I say bland canvas) into a master piece. Adding a bit of sour yellow from Preserved Lemons with a hint of red from the tangy crushed Sumac berry. Then mixing it through with the green and vibrant colour of dried dill and fresh mint.
That’s why I’d like to think of Moghrabieh or couscous in general as a feasting dish to be shared in huge platters with family and friends. Not only it’s easy to cook-up but more importantly is visually appetizing.
This dish served along side my favorite lamb tagine (recipe here) is a crowd winner at all my gatherings and parties.
Enjoy creating, sharing and indulging!
Ingredients
- 2 cups of Moghrabieh
- 4 cups of water
- 2 tablespoon of Persian ghee
- 2 tablespoon of rose water
- 2 tbsp of finely diced preserved lemons
- 1 tablespoon of dried dill
- 1 tablespoon of Persian Sumac
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
- 1 tbsp of salt
- 1 clove of garlic – bruised
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
Method
- In a heavy based pot on high heat, add moghrabieh, water, salt and garlic. Bring to boil for 10-15 minutes. Then simmer for further 15 minutes until moghrabieh is cooked. Drain excess liquid and discard the garlic.
- In a serving platter, combine all other ingredients. Add cooked moghrabieh and toss through well.
- Serve with lamb tagine or your favourite middle Eastern stew.
*** Cooking Tip *** the heat from moghrabieh will melt the persian ghee, so make sure to stir through thoroughly.
Nush-e-Jan! (Enjoy!)