Mesfouf bel Romen | Couscous with Pomegranates #SunnahKitchen



 A stunning jeweled couscous to decorate your Friday table with.

بِسْــــــــــــــــــــــمِ اﷲِارَّحْمَنِ ارَّحِيم
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
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It's Friday today, the day of the Muslim Sabbath so that means 'in North African, it's 'Couscous Friday'. Families typically gather after the Friday Prayer to enjoy these soft fluffy pearls.


Couscous is a fine semolina pasta. In the United States and Europe there is a pre-steamed pre-cooked instant style of couscous and it normally comes in a package that has been by machines. You just need to do it pour boiling water over let it sit for a couple of minutes. That package version is fine don't get me wrong, but nothing beats the real traditional couscous. Couscous that has been made with hands, lovingly with care the old way for centuries. Traditional preparation of couscous begins by sprinkling water over durum semolina and rolling it around until the small pasta pellets form. The pellets are then air dried for days on massive sheets or rugs. Really a beautiful sight! The actually steaming of couscous is done in special pot called 'keskes' or couscoussiérie in French. These pots are easily found now online, but you can easily make your own keskes at home by placing a steamer insert or stainless colander over a pot with a lid.

Similar to the Western Christian tradition of Sunday dinner, Fridays are special in North African, or shall I say in Algeria where I live. Algerians traditionally gather around the table to share a massive communal platter of couscous following Friday prayers. From the smallest villages to the larger cities, you’ll find people gathering for a bowl of couscous. In fact, it’s so popular, a tradition so strong, that some restaurants don’t serve anything but couscous on Fridays. And why would they?!
kuskus-tenceresi1
North African cooks have a very particular way of preparing couscous, involving an elaborate ritual of moistening, steaming, more moistening, rolling with olive oil or smen (preserved butter), more steaming, more moistening, more steaming... A communal dish definitely worth making and eating with your beloved family and friends.

Typically eaten with the hands and tossed into little balls, it may be consumed with a bits vegetables, fruit or nuts. Couscous, rather mesfouf to me a good way to provide an easy and very economical dish for my family on Friday on the day I would prefer to leave time for worship and my family. While the traditional steaming of couscous is somewhat time intensive, it's not demanding I think.

Mesfouf is a specialty couscous dish served on special occasions like Ramadan, weddings and engagements. But we can eat all year long. There are different types of mesfouf including one with pea; fava beans and peas; oranges; pumpkin; dates and nuts; raisins or sultanas or the mega-special mesfouf called Seffa which has wide array of goodies on it. . But my all time favourite addition is the Mesfouf of Fall and Winter prepared in eastern Algeria and Tunisia with one of my all-time favorite (Sunnah) fruits ... the ruby red jewels of the pomegranate.

”Wherein is fruit, the date palm and pomegranate .Which is it, of the favors of your Lord, that ye deny?”- Quran

Pomegranates has long been growing in Western and Central Asia for centuries, particularly in the Mediterranean basin, the Far East and India where the pomegranate is considered a condiment for many.

Pomegranate is one of the Sunnah fruits which in the holy Quran says is "one of the fruits of the people of heaven"(along with dates). Poms have the most antioxidant properties of all fruits known (its effects would be superior to those of green tea). It's benefits are so numerous it would literally take a book to explain them. 

Poms help  to lower cholesterol levels in the blood, atherosclerosis, blood pressure and so prevent cardiovascular disease. It would also reduce the onset and rate of progression of prostate, breast, and even colon cancer. This effect could also be explained by its anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties.

Also due to the presence of antioxidants, regular use of pomegranate could protect against aging-related neurological disorders, including memory loss and Alzheimer's disease. 

The pomegranate would also be useful in preventing influenza and fighting coughs due to the presence of large amounts of vitamin B6 - which strengthens the immune system -, the anti-inflammatory effects of antioxidants, and the antibacterial and antiviral actions of tannins present in the juice.

Pomegranate juice has also been proven to help treat and prevent urinary infections, similarly like cranberries. The consumption of pomegranate juice also has been shown to lead to a lower risk of infectiousness and a decrease in inflammation in people with autoimmune diseases.

Pomegranates are also full of folic acid, where is needed for the development of the fetus' brain during pregnancy. Pomegranate as a beautiful food that should not be taken for granted. It's jam-packed with an array of benefits but more so blessings.

↠↠↠ You will need a couscoussiérie (as pictured above) or you can make a makeshift couscoussiérieby using a large dutch oven and a metal steamer basket placed over it.

๑۞๑ Mesfouf bel romen contains gluten, but you easily use a gluten-free couscous making this dish gluten-free. At this time, there is no gluten-free yeast version.





    

So let's get started with the recipe.



KITCHEN TIME 🕓 ACTIVE PREP TIME : 10   min |   INACTIVE PREP TIME : 10 min  |  COOK TIME : 35 min 



main dishes | serves 6 - 8


  
Mesfouf bel romen houbz Talien
Couscous with pomegranates 
  A stunning jeweled couscous to decorate your Friday table with.

  


⇥ For the couscous:

‣ 1 kg of couscous "fine" - small grained couscous
‣ about 1/4 cup - 50g butter (this is cooking not baking so does not have to exact - If you like more buttery couscous, add more)
‣ sugar to taste
‣ 1/4 cup - 50ml of oil
 2 beautiful pomegranates, cleaned and seeded
‣ 1-2 capful(s) of "mazhar"(orange blossom water)
‣ generous pinch of salt

‣ 1/4 cup powdered/icing sugar or honey

‣ water

⇥ Serve with :

‣ powdered/icing sugar or honey
‣ ground cinnamon
‣ toasted almonds or pistachios(optional)
‣ Milk or "lben" (buttermilk)




1 - Toast the nuts in the oven if using.


2 - Fill the bottom part of your couscoussiérie ( or large pot) with water. Place on the fire to heat up.

3 - In a large wide bowl, coat the couscous grains with the oil, rubbing the grains between your fingers to get the oil to coat the grains well.

4-  Now add salt and enough water to cover the couscous + about one finger width more. The amount depends on the size and shape of your bowl. For me about 2 cups per 1 kg was enough. Allow the couscous to rest, absorbing the water for about 10 minutes.


5 - Once the couscous has swollen, doubled in size and absorbed all the water gently sprinkle the couscous into the steamer insert part of your couscoussiérie. Be sure not to pack it in, as you need space for the couscous to expand during steaming. After layering in half the couscous, dot the couscous with bits of the butter. Allow the couscous to steam, uncovered for about 10 minutes.


6 - After the first steam, gently turn the couscous out onto a wide bowl. Fork the couscous by fluffing it with your fingers. Beware it will be extremely hot! Sprinkle the couscous with a handful of water as you fluff.

7 - Gently layer the couscous back in the couscoussiérie and repeat the process for an additional 10 minutes. Fine grain semolina "Mesfouf" needs 3 steaming to get that extra velvety soft texture. 

8 - After the 3rd steaming, turn the couscous out and gently mix in the cinnamon, mazhar-orange blossom water, sugar (if using), butter and the pomegranates seeds.
Serve the couscous domed on a plate. Arrange some extra seeds as garnish and nuts. Sprinkle with more sugar if desired.

Serve a cup or small bowl of lebn (buttermilk) or milk on the side. 




    Make Ahead
    ⇝ This dish is easily made ahead up to 1 day before you would like to serve it.

    Storage
    ⇝ This dish can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days in a food storage container without the additional of mazhar. To heat up, just re-steam.

    Variation 
    ⇝ You could use medium called "couscous moyen" in North Africa or even large grain called "couscous gros" for another texture.

    Gluten-Free
    ⇝ You substitute corn or rice couscous to make this dish gluten-free.

    Vegan & Vegetarian
    ⇝ To make this dish veg-friendly use vegan butter or all olive oil. 

    Leftovers
    ⇝ Any leftovers can be eaten for breakfast porridge-style with milk poured all over. Optionally adding more things in it like more nuts and raisins. 


     CATEGORIES: main, quick & easy,  Tunisian, algerian, autumn, winter, ramadan, mediteranean, north african





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     ➤ This couscous  would be delicious served  with this homemade buttermilk. 
    ➤ Or even try this lavender scented couscous. 
    ➤ Or get inspired at the Recipe Index.


    do you like couscous? let us know which ones in the comments below. 









    6 comments:

    1. allah il est magnifique ce couscous, bravo a toi surement que c'est un delice, bisous

      ReplyDelete
    2. super ton mesfouf! j'adore!! je peux le mettre dans mon repertoire couscous? bises! kouky

      ReplyDelete
    3. Marhaba Heni

      This look gorgeous and healthy...
      a nice start for a new year,
      love the color

      ReplyDelete
    4. mashaallah this is a very interesting combination and healthy too well done!

      ReplyDelete
    5. This is a very known dish in the Kabylie Region of Algeria, there is that with pomegranate and the same with Orange. Try the latter it is as lush I promis :) We used to add sugar to it in the old days and it was a childrens' fave.
      thanks for the nice photos!

      ReplyDelete
    6. With oranges you say? machallah I can imagine how nice it could be è how do you make it exactly I want to try it enchallah! thank you for reading commenting and the orange tip!

      ReplyDelete



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