khlii couscous with seven vegetables

Ingredients for 10 people:

* 500 g (1 ib 2 oz) of coarse semolina rolled with: * 500 g (1 ib 2 oz) of sifted flour or:

* 1 kg (2 ibs 3 oz) of ready prepared packet couscous * 500 g (1 ib 2 oz) of cabbage

* 500 g ( 1 ib 2 oz) of red pumpkin * 500 g (1 ib 2 oz) of carrots * 250 g (9 oz) of tomatoes

* 250 g (9 oz) of potatoes * 250 g (9 oz) of aubergines * 3 or 4 small hot peppers (chillies)

* 1 kg(2 ibs 3 oz) of fresh kidneybbeans * 500 g (1 ib 2 oz) of khlii covered in fat

* 2 soupspoonfuls of sweet peppers * 1 teaspoonful of pepper

* 1/2 teaspoonful of saffron (mixed crushed saffron flowers and packet saffron)

* 1 kg (2 ibs 3 oz)of onions * 6 litres (11 pts) of water * enough salt to season

* 150 g (5 oz) of butter to stir into the couscous when cooked

Preparation:

 
Cooking time: about 2 hours Put sorne water in the bottom part of the couscous steamer, add salt, sweet pepper, pepper, saffron, 2 quartered onions, 500 g (1 ib 2 oz) of khlii. When it comes to the boil, take out the strips of khlii, put on one side and add the cabbage cut into quarters. Bring to the bou. Then put the rolled couscous (see preparation) in the upper part of the steamer over the part in which the cabbage, etc., are cooking. Make the two parts of the steamer airtight by fixing a cloth steeped in flour and water paste round the join between the two so that the steam can only escape from the top.

When the couscous begins to let off steam, leave to cook for half an hour, Remove the couscous and turn out into the gsáá and press lightly with a ladle fo separate the grains. Leave to cool and sprinkle with a little cold water. Let the couscous air and then add more cold water, repeating this operation until the grains are swollen and saturated in water.

Leave fo absorb alI the water. In the meantime, about 1 hour before serving, puf the remaining ingredients (the unpeeled aubergines, tomatoes, onions, carrots-peeled and cut up in quarters, the kidney beans from which the shoots have been removed, and the small hot chillies) in the pot which is still on the fire Cook the purnpkins and potatoes cut up in quarters, separately in a little of the stock. When the stock in the pot comes to the boil again, check the seasoning. Puf the couscous in the keskes, puf back over the boiling pot and seal the 2 parts as before.

When the couscous starts giving off steam, take off the heat and pour mio the gsáá. Add the butter, mix well and add as much stock as the couscous can absorb, stirring alI the time. Serve on a large round dish atter making a well in the middle of the couscous in which the vegetables are placed with the strips of khlii which hayo been reheated in the stock. Serve at once with extra stock served separately for those who prefer it more moist.