Kesksou Bidaoui bel Khodra

• 5 cups couscous
• 5 cups warm water
• 12 teaspoons salt
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons butter or more oil
• 3 pounds lean lamb or beef, cut in large pieces, or 1 1/2 pounds meat and 1 chicken, cut into pieces
• 2 large onions, quartered, then cut in thick slices
• 1 1/4 cups chickpeas (soaked overnight) or a 1-pound can, drained
• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
• Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron powder or threads
• Salt
• 4 or 5 tomatoes, quartered
• 1 pound carrots, cut in half lengthwise or into thick pieces
• 1 pound turnips, peeled and quartered, or left whole if baby ones
• 1 small or 1/2 large white cabbage, cut into chunks
• 1 pound zucchini, cut into big pieces
• 1/2 pound fresh shelled or frozen fava beans
• 2 fennel bulbs, quartered
• 1 pound orange pumpkin, peeled and cut into pieces
• 1/2 pound eggplant, cut into pieces
• 2 green peppers, cut into ribbons
• 2 chili peppers
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons harissa (page 464), or 2 tablespoons paprika and 1 teaspoon ground chili pepper, or more to taste

1. Prepare the couscous as described in An Easy Way of Preparing Quick-Cooking Couscous in the Oven (page 376), using the quantities given in the ingredients list above; do not add the final butter till ready to serve.
2. Put the meats in a large pan with the onions and the drained chickpeas.
3. If you are using canned ones, leave them out now and put them in towards the end of the cooking.
4. Cover with about 3 quarts water, add the oil, pepper, and saffron, and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.
5. Add salt, the tomatoes, carrots, and turnips, and cook for 1/2 hour more, or until the meats are very tender.
6. Add the remaining ingredients except the harissa and more wateryou need to have plenty of brothand cook a further 1/2 hour.
7. Make a hot, peppery sauce to accompany.
8. Take 3 ladles of broth from the stew and stir in the harissa or the paprika and ground chili pepperenough to make it very strong and fiery.
9. To serve, pile the couscous onto a large round dish.
10. Add butter or more oil and work it into the grain as it melts.
11. Shape it into a mound with a pit or crater at the top.
12. Arrange the meat at the top and the vegetables down the sides, and pour a little broth all over.
13. Serve the broth in a separate bowl.
14. Pass the broth and the hot, peppery sauce round for people to help themselves.
15. A French way of serving is to present the couscous separately, and the meat and vegetables with the broth in a large bowl.
16. You may add 1/3 cup raisins or pitted dates towards the end.
17. Other possible flavorings are 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon coriander.
18. Algerians put in runner beans and green peas.

couscous, water, salt, vegetable oil, butter, lean lamb, onions, chickpeas, sunflower oil, pepper, saffron powder, salt, tomatoes, carrots, ones, white cabbage, zucchini, beans, fennel bulbs, orange pumpkin, eggplant, green peppers, chili peppers, cilantro, flatleaf, paprika

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/kesksou-bidaoui-bel-khodra-373547 (may not work)