Maroccan Vegetable Couscous with Carrot-Tfaya (no onions)
There is something that I adore more than maybe other things in cooking: The African style of preparing vegetables! In Marocco, these soft big chunks of courgette, carrots, aubergines cooked in tomato gravy – hmmm! – are, different than in other parts of Africa, so nicely placed on couscous. Couscous is a traditional North African side dish made from steamed semolina wheat. It serves as a versatile base for stews, vegetables, or meats, and is a staple in Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian cuisines.
In Morocco, making couscous from scratch was traditionally a weekly ritual, especially on Fridays for family gatherings after prayers. While some still prepare it by hand, modern households often use store-bought couscous due to convenience, with homemade versions reserved for special occasions or rural areas where traditions are more commonly maintained.
Making couscous by hand at home is a labor-intensive process. Traditionally, it starts with semolina wheat, which is sprinkled with water and rubbed between the palms to form small granules. These granules are then sifted to separate fine from coarse, with the coarse grains being worked again to create uniform couscous. The couscous is then steamed multiple times over a pot of simmering stew or water, fluffed with oil or butter in between steaming, until it becomes light and fluffy. This method results in a delicate, tender grain, quite different from the instant couscous we often see today.
My husband asked to add raisins, as he remembers the addition of them when he was in Marocco. So I did some research and found Tfaya, a Moroccan kind of sauce with caramelized onions and raisins. While this looked delicious and very appealing, I wondered how we could prepare this without one of the two main ingredients – onions! I had the pleasure to find out that grated carrots would be a good substitute. And indeed, it was perfect!
In terms of vegetables, you can use whatever you have at hand. Only the tomatos – either canned or fresh, have to be part of this recipe, otherwise it is not the same anymore …
Feel also free to add spiciness. I cannot eat spicy, this is why I never use spicy ingredients.
Saffron: Well, this is something that usually could not be replaced, because it has such an unique flavor! Still, here where we live, we have no access to it, and then it is also very expensive … I find curcuma perfect as replacement, while the flavor is just a little different.
One last word about the serving:
Traditionally, Maroccan Couscous is served on one plate, while everyone around takes a spoon and eats from this plate. I find this brilliant! Try – unless you have a family of 6 or more … 🙂
Enjoy!
Maroccan Vegetable Couscous with Carrot Tfaya (no onions)
Ingredients
For the Gravy
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
- 3/4 tsp paprika powder
- 1/4 tsp curcuma (if you have saffron, dissolve it in warm water before use!)
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vegetable broth powder
- 2-3 carrots, peeled, cut into large chunks
- 1 cup pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into medium pieces
- 1 handful courgette, cut in 1 cm slices
- 3/4 cup tomatos, finely diced
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1/2 cup chickpeas, cooked and rinsed
- 1/2 cup water
For the Tfaya
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1 tbsp oil
- 3/4 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup of the raisin cooking water
- 1 tbsp agave nectar
For the Couscous
- 3/4 cup couscous
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups water or less or more according to the package instructions
Instructions
Prepare the gravy
- Heat the oil, sauté the ginger for 15 seconds, add the other spices, salt and broth powder, stir. Add the vegetables, stir. Let everything take nicely flavor. Now add the tomatos, sauté for another minute, stirring frequently.Add the tomato purée, chickpeas and water, cover the pot and let simmer until the vegetables are fork tender. Check from time to time if it needs a quick stir.
Prepare the Tfaya
- Cook the raisins in 2/3 cup of water until tender (approx. 5-10 mins). Drain, preserving the liquid, set aside.
- Heat the oil to medium heat, sauté the ginger and carrots for approx. 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the other ingredients and let reduce and caramelize, until the liquid has evaporized.
Prepare the couscous
- In the meantime, place the couscous in a bowl, mix with the salt.
- Bring the water to boil. Pour carefully the water over the couscous and let soak – don't stir! Once all the water is soaked up and the grains on the surface look dry, carefully check with a fork if there is still water at the bottom. If not, you can go through the couscous with the fork to fluffen it up.
Serve
- Place the couscous onto a large plate, the vegetables on top, finish with the Tfaya. Enjoy!