This picture does not even do justice to the amazingness of the dish. Today, my host mama taught me and Kelsey how to make it. It took almost three hours! The process is not difficult, just long. And definitely worth it. Hopefully I will be able to recreate it to some degree back home.
Some cultural tidbits:
- couscous is traditionally made with several kinds of boiled vegetables and meat. The meat is hidden under the vegetables and usually eaten towards the end of the meal
- everyone eats from the same dish. It is rude to reach in front of someone else’s ‘place’ in the dish
- many Moroccans drink buttermilk while eating couscous
- there is also a ‘sweet’ couscous that is made with carmelized onions and raisins
Most Fridays after class, I head to the hammam with a few of my friends to soak away the weeks’ worries in a hot, steaming sauna. The hammam is an interesting facet of Moroccan culture – here is one of Moroccan women’s main social hubbubs. After hammam, we all head home to couscous. After couscous, we usually have a post-couscous nap.
There is no doubt that my first Friday back in the States I will be wishing I were here. Or at least eating couscous.
that looks the most delicious thing everrrrr i am so jealous. couscous with vegetables and lamb is very popular in paris due to moroccan influence so i've had it there but i'm sure nothing compares to moroccan couscous... i would go there just for that. and you.
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