Moroccan Couscous with Lamb and Vegetables with homemade vegetable stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Fried onion

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

   StoveLarge pot
2. 2
   Add the onion and fry 5 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.

   Stove

   💡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 lamb and fry 5 minutes.

   Stove
2. 4
   Add the cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, salt and black pepper and stir.
3. 5
   Put the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in a large pot with the cold water.

   Large pot

   💡Start with cold water: the vegetables release their flavor slowly as the water heats up.
4. 6
   Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam.

   Stove
5. 7
   Turn down to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered 30–45 minutes.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
6. 8
   Strain the stock through a fine sieve.

   Fine sieve
7. 9
   Add the carrot, tomatoes and stock and bring to a boil.

   Stove
8. 10
   Turn down the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

   StoveLid
9. 11
   Add the zucchini and chickpeas and cook another 15 minutes.

   Stove

   💡Hard vegetables (carrot, eggplant) go in first, and zucchini only toward the end of cooking: that way they're all tender and none fall apart.
10. 12
    Bring the liquid and oil to a boil and pour it over the couscous.

    StoveSmall saucepan
11. 13
    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.
12. 14
    Serve the couscous on a plate with the stew and broth on top.
13. 15
    Sprinkle the cilantro on top.