Welcome to my blog about my experiences while living in Algeria!How to Prepare Setifien, Algerian CousCous
Friday in Algeria is like Sunday in the US. And every Friday, my husband’s family prepares CousCous. And we all eat together. It is the delicious! CousCous is almost always served at wedding parties, as well, at least in Setif.
The recipe below is for 15 people. Usually the ingredients are not measured out as in American cookbooks. But my sister-in-law did try to measure out what she put for my blog visitors. Also, note that seasonings may need to be adjusted to taste. The salt and tomatoe paste probably. The meat also makes a big difference in flavor. For this presentation, both beef and chicken are used. I prefer the mix. But lamb, chicken, or beef can be used.
The night before my sister-in-law marinates the meat with the sauces ingredients.
Spices: 2 large soup spoons paprika, 1and 1/2 soup spoons corriander, 1 large soup spoon salt, 1/2 soup spoon black pepper, 1 and 1/2 soup spoon tomatoe paste.
4 small/med onions and 1 med head of garlic either put through a food grater or pulverized in a food processor.
The meat: Chicken with the skin and beef with some fat. About 3 kilo or 6 pounds total. The herb you see is Cilantro. Add a fresh bunch of cilantro(debshaa) but do not cut it up. It is removed from the sauce when the sauce is finished cooking. Also, add a whole spicy pepper. But do not cut it open. Or be warned you will have very spicy couscous sauce. To your taste.
Notice the oil in the middle. Add a couple of spoons of oil.
Meat with onions, garlic, cilantro, and spicy pepper.
Added the spices.
All the ingredients mixed together to sit overnight in fridge.
So the next morning, you only have to worry about throughing it into the pot with a few extra vegetables. And the making of the couscous.
It is best to use a pressure cooker. It cooks so much better and faster. The sauce is done when the meat is done.
Let the meat cook for a bit before you add water.
The couscous…
This is 2 kilo/4 pounds of couscous that has been washed and is draining in the top part of the couscousery. You must first put the couscous into a bowl and cover with water. Stir it with your hand so all the couscous gets wet. Then carefully pour it into drainer/top part of couscousery to drain for about 5 minutes. Let me also point out that the couscous in the box at Giant food store is much different than the couscous bought in bulk at the international food stores. Buy the couscous at your nearby international food store.
So, now, we take the drained couscous and place it into a large bowl. You then add a coffe spoon of salt and half a glass of oil. You rub the couscous between you hands and mix it rubbing out all the lumps.
You then place back into the couscousery and put on top of the base which has boiling water in it. Let me show you the paper seal we use to keep the steam from getting out.
Fold a few layers of newspaper into quarters. And tear off the big corner in the middle.
So there is a hole.
You place on the base of the couscousery.
Couscousery with paper seal. Alternatively you can use a peice of fabric and tie it around the seam. You could also use a dough of semolina and water, but since you must take it off to check it and add water it isn’t very practicle. Or you just be one of the lucky few who has a nice couscousery that doesn’t need this kind of addition.
Back to the sauce…
You are going to add these vegetables, 1 and 1/2 cup white turnips, 2 cups garbonzo beans/chick peas, and 3 cups cleaned and deveined leaf rib, similar to celery, it has a less of an overpowering flavor. You will, also, add 4 liters of water to the sauce. Close the lid tight and set to boil at medium heat for and hour. Check the meat if it is done. When the meat is done the sauce is done. Adjust the salt and tomatoe paste to taste. When the sauce is done. Remove the meat and vegetables and cilantro. And add a few spoons of milk. Yes, I did say milk.
This is the sauce when finished.
Back to the couscous…
So your couscous is steaming. When you feel and see vapor coming from the top of the couscous it is time to take it off and add water.
This pic is after she added about a cup or so of water. You would add the water and mix it with your hands and rub it between your hands to get all the lumps out. You can also use a special sifter to sift the lumps out. It was unavailable when she was preparing it this time. Then you put it back into the top part of the couscousery. Put to steam again until you see vapor coming from the top. Taste it to see it is done.
When the couscous is finished cooking you put it back into your large dish. You add a few large spoons of butter or margarine. Here they use an aged blend of pure butter and salt. It adds a unique flavor. I will post more info on it another time. But use butter if you can. The couscous should not look oily when done.
Place in dish and make and indent for the vegetables.
Place your vegetables.
Add the sauce and serve.
Don’t forget the meat.
A single serving of couscous served with fresh buttermilk. Some like to add it to the couscous.
All done! Enjoy! If you have questions, feel free to contact me. I will get advice straight from my expert couscous maker and sister-in-law if you want it.
Chow!
Technorati Tags: algeria, algerian, setif, setifien, couscous, cous cous, recipe, algerian dish
May 8th, 2006 at 12:34 pm
Wooow ! Good job Harmony and extremly detailed.
I did not know the newspaper trick. We often use piece of fabric as you mentionned or a piece of pasta around the “couscoussier”
I suppose what you call celery is cardoon ?
May 8th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Hi Hana,
I did check with my sister-in-law for the correct name of the vegetable like celery. It is ‘La Carde’. ‘Leaf Rib’ in Eglish according to my French/English Dictionaire. I shall edit my post. But I haven’t heard of it before. Do you find it where you live?
Harmony
May 8th, 2006 at 10:35 pm
Hello Harmony.
It seems that “leaf rib” is a sort of generic name.
In France and french we call that “cardes” or “cardons” ( that’s why i made the mistake “cardoon” which is nearer the artichoke, same family too, I guess)
It is a mediterranean vegetable oftenly used in Italy (famous recipes with this vegetable) in Morocco and of course in Algeria ( commonly with couscous or alone in “ragoût”)
Curiously it’s also well known in Switzerland and in my region (cross-boarder commuter). Cooked in “delicious “gratin” , it’s one of the meal of Christmas Reveillon (not specially cheap in that season)
Some recipes from this american website : http://www.consciouschoice.com/2002/cc1506/cooking1506.html
And I’m sure we can get more ( with the exact name) from Chef Zadi ! :))
May 10th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
Thanks, Hana, for the further explaination. Can you give me a price for kilo/pound in your area? So we can make a price comparison? Out of curiousity. Thanks, for the additional link.
Harmony
May 16th, 2006 at 11:03 am
Hi, Harmony
Have you tried couscous with milk, oignons and pumpkin sauce? It’s just delicious and the yellow-marbled milk sauce is trully a delight for the eyes!
It’s usually accompanied with sun-dried and salted slices of lean lamb meat.
(Gueddid or khliê in some areas).
May 16th, 2006 at 3:13 pm
Hi Lys,
Admitedly, I have not tried the couscous with milk and onions or pumpkin. But my father-in-law and son eat the couscous with milk and onions all the time. I know of the pumpkin but haven’t seen it prepared. I hear them calling the meat you speak of ‘i-eesh’. They do put it in the milk for couscous sometimes. I really like the meat in the special soup my mother-in-law prepares which they call ‘i-eesh’ also. My sister-in-law will sometimes put some dried meat in Friday’s couscous. What is your favorite Algerian dish, Lys?
Harmony
May 20th, 2006 at 8:06 am
Hi Harmony,
One of my favorite is couscous Ôsban made with spicy, stuffed paunch of lamb.
It’s a rather heavy stuff but twice a year is Ok ! I never miss it during Aîd El Kébir…The other winter dish is white or red beans, spicy tomato sauce with lamb or/and veal feet…once a year is enough !I also like Thrida, I forgot how they call it in Sétif : small dried hand made squares of pasta with white sauce, chik peas, vegetables and decorated with sliced boiled eggs. While studying in The US, I used to call my mom and asked her how to prepare such and such dish…I learned thru the phone (expensive phone bill !) and taught my american friends how to prepare french and algerian cuisine. lys.
May 22nd, 2006 at 10:30 am
Hi Lys,
What you call Thrida, they call it Klee-Klee here. I love it when it is prepared very spicy. The osban, I did try by accident. Not the pauch but the sauce. You are talking about stuffed stomach aren’t you? I stear clear of all dishes with any lamb part other than the meat. Where did you study in the US?
Harms
June 7th, 2006 at 10:30 am
Hi Harmony,
Sorry for the delay ! I spent few days in Algeria far from any cyber-café !
I’m back in Paris, France. I studied in Boston,MA (Harvard school of Medicine).
I never miss any AAO meeting in the US. and during the last one, in San Francisco, I met all my buddies. We went to Zulli’s, an Italian restaurant, in which they serve -exactely the same bread as algerian one, along with a small dish full of olive oil…we call it Khobz eddar. I showed them how to dip their bread in olive oil : they loved it ! When the waiter came to take the orders I told him ” Hi, this bread is from my country, isn’it ? So, he said, where are you from? I said, Algeria. He smiled and told me “I’m from Algeria, too !” Believe me, we got a King treatment !
Are you sure about “Klee-Klee”? I think it’s “Tlee-Tlee” (birds tongues). “Thrida” size is about one square cm . Have a nice day.
June 8th, 2006 at 10:59 pm
Hi Lys,
Great to hear from you! Where did you visit in Algeria? In Setif, there are cybercafes on every corner. I can only imagine you were in a very remote area. It must have been nice. I have yet to visit all the wonderful places Algeria has to offer. The AAO meeting. Does that make you an Opthamologist? You clever lady! I am going to be discussing pronunciations with my sister-in-law soon. She always provides me with clarification when I need clarifying. She speaks English very well. Thank God for her. I will post back the comparisons when I do.
Until then,
Harmony
June 23rd, 2006 at 8:34 am
Hi Harmony,
AAO : American Association of Orthodontics (ophtalmologists too!) I agree, we need “good” eyes to appreciate a nice smile ! Have a nice day.
July 29th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
Hi Harmony,
I slide here an Algerian typical dishes sit:
http://algeriedelice.skyblog.com/index.html
Enjoy your meal!
July 16th, 2007 at 3:48 am
Hello,
You have a nice website. I was wondering if you could help me find two recipes that I have tried from Algeria. One was a cookie that was shaped like fruit. We make something similar called “Marzipan” but the Algerian one was softer, much bigger and filled with soft cake and what seemed like apricot jam. It was truly wonderful and I would love to make it for myself sometime if possible. The second was also a cookie and I found a picture of it, but haven’t been able to find the recipe. The picture is http://www.inmagine.com/paa047/paa047000025-photo the one I would like is the pink on in front with an almond slice in the middle.
Your help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Jenn
July 17th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Hi Jenn,
About the Marzipan you are talking about, perhaps the reason it’s softer is because it is handmade? My sister-in-law handmakes her pate d’almond(almond dough), as they call it here. I’ve never had it filled with confiture and cake before. But it does sound delicious. I will look my SIL’s cookbooks for some recipes and scan a few for you. Do you read french? As most of her books are French and Arabic. I’ll try to get to it soon.
Thanks for visiting!
Cheers!
July 18th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
I’m sorry, I don’t speak or read French I can understand some Arabic, but not much..
Do you think you would be able to translate?
Algerian food and people are just wonderful.
Thank you
Jenn