Couscous with raisins and chickpeas

Ingredients for 8 to 10 poeple:

* Cooking time : approximately 2 hours

* 500 g (1 ib 2 oz) of coarse semolina rolled in 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of fine sifted flour (see preparation) or:

* 1 kg (2 ibs 3 oz) of packet couscous * 1 chicken or 1 kg (2 ibs 3 oz) of meat (either mutton or veal knuckle)

* 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) of stonedraisins * 1 glassful of chick-pease soaked overnight

* 1 1/2 kg (3 lbs 5 oz) of onions * 1soupspoonful of pepper

* 1/2 teaspoonful of saffron (preferably crushed saffron flowers)

* 150 g (5 oz) butter for the stock * 100 g (4 oz) buttter for mixing with the couscous when cooked

* 5 litres (9 pts) of water * salt

Preparation: 

Put 5 litres (9 pts) of water in the lower part of a couscous steamer. Add 2 sliced onions, the chick-peas, the chicken or meat cut into pieces, salt, pepper, saffron and butter. Bring to the boil. Put the steamer containing the rolled couscous over the boiling lower part and seal the two parts with a strip of clothsteeped in flour and water waste so that the water can only escape from the top. Cook for half an hour after the couscous has stopped to steam.

Take the couscous oft the heat and turn into the gsââ, pressing lightly with a ladle to separate the grains. Leave to cool then sprinkle with cold water, air and repeat the operation until the grains of semolina are swollen and saturated with water. Leave until all the moisture is absorbed. See if the chicken is cooked and take off the heat. Check the seasoning. Half an hour before serving, cut the onions into large pieces and put in the stock on the heat. Add the cleaned and washed stoned raisins. Bring to the boil and then put the couscous back into the steamer, seating the two parts again.

When the couscous begins to steam, take off the heat and turn into the gsâa’; mix in the butter and as much stock as the couscous will absorb, stirring all the time. Heap the couscous on a large round dish, form a cone, with the meat or chicken in a well in the middle, together with the onions, chick-peas and raisins. Serve immediately with extra stock for those who like it.