Libyan Couscous with Lamb

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Fried onion

1. 1
   Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.

   ⚙ Pan-fryingStoveLarge pot
2. 2
   Add the onion and fry 5–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.

To assemble

1. 3
   Add the meat and fry 5 minutes, until browned on all sides.

   ⚙ Adding to the hot fat and fryingStove
2. 4
   Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, paprika, salt and black pepper and stir.
3. 5
   Add the tomatoes and cook 5 minutes.

   Stove
4. 6
   Add the water and bring to a boil.

   Stove
5. 7
   Turn down the heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes.

   ⚙ SimmeringStoveLid

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
6. 8
   Add the carrot and zucchini and cook another 20 minutes.

   Stove
7. 9
   Bring the liquid to a boil and pour it over the couscous.

   StoveSmall saucepan
8. 10
   Cover 5 minutes and fluff the grains with a fork.

   💡Fluff with a fork, not a spoon: a fork separates the grains, and a spoon mashes them into clumps.
9. 11
   Serve the couscous on a plate with the stew and broth on top.