Libyan Couscous
Couscous is the national dish of Libya. It is a famous dish in the Maghreb and North Africa, and the method of preparing it differs from one country to another. In Libya, the way it is prepared is also different, as it is prepared with vegetables, meat and onions and cooked on steam. The couscous meal in Libya is considered a folk heritage that is passed down from one generation to the next, so it preserves its distinctive flavor to this day. YIELDS8 ServingsQuarter (2 Servings)Half (4 Servings)Default (8 Servings)Double (16 Servings)Triple (24 Servings)PREP TIME25 minsCOOK TIME1 hr 30 minsTOTAL TIME1 hr 55 mins 500 grams of couscous 2 lbs. lamb, boiled and diced 2 chicken stock cubes 2 onions, chopped 1 cup of chickpeas, boiled 3 carrots, cut into cubes 2 potatoes, cut into cubes 3 zucchini, cut into cubes 2 tablespoons of tomato paste 3 tablespoons of olive oil 5 cups of water 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon hot red pepper 1 teaspoon turmeric Salt, to taste 1 In a frying pan over low heat, heat the oil. Fry the meat in the oil until it changes color with constant stirring. 2 Add the onions and stir until wilted, then add the tomato paste, spices, chicken broth, and water, stirring constantly. 3 Cover the pot and let it cook for 60 minutes until the meat is tender. 4 Add potatoes and carrots, continue cooking for 10 minutes, then add chickpeas and zucchini. Leave the saucepan for an additional 6 minutes. 5 In a separate saucepan over high heat, add a small amount of broth and bring to a boil. 6 Add the couscous to the broth and cover the saucepan, stirring occasionally. 7 Take the saucepan off the heat and set aside to let the couscous cook on steam. 8 To serve, add the couscous to a serving platter, arrange the meat and vegetables on top then ladle the sauce over everything.
Libyan Ftera
RECIPE Ingredients: 3 cups flour 1 tsp. salt Water ½ cup butter 2/3 cup vegetable oil Method: Mix flour and salt then start adding water till you get a nice soft dough but not sticky, transform the dough into a clean surface and knead it for 10 minutes or you can do it in an electric mixer using a kneading hook, cover with clean kitchen towel and let it rest for 2 hours. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, form each piece into a small ball, cover again with kitchen towel and allow to rest for 1-2 hours. Melt butter with oil, then start stretching each ball by pouring some of the butter mixture on a clean surface, put the dough on it and add another amount of butter on it then stretch it from the middle out till you get a very thin dough that is almost transparent. Fold the top side on the middle then the bottom, same with right side and left to form a rectangular. Heat a non-stick pan and using your fingertips stretch out each one a bit to make a bigger rectangular then cook on the pan for 2 minutes on each side.
Libyan Ousban
Osban is a traditional Libyan sausage. The sausage is stuffed with rice and spring onions, as well as lamb meat, chopped liver, and other lamb parts. It is best to serve osban with couscous and salad, with a piece of lemon on the side. I hope you enjoy this traditional Libyan food
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