Couscous is the national dish of Algeria, and saying so barely covers it. Estimates of how many versions the country cooks run from a few hundred to a thousand, red or white, with lamb, chicken, fish, or no meat at all, and every family is quietly certain its own is the correct one. This is the Algiers style: a red broth of tomato, paprika and black pepper, lamb cooked until it gives at a touch, and vegetables added in the order they take to soften, so each one arrives at the table whole.

The grain is the real craft. Algerian cooks steam couscous twice over the simmering stew, so it drinks in the aroma and swells into light, separate grains rather than a damp clump. A couscoussier, the two tier steamer made for the job, is lovely to own but not required; a colander lined with cheesecloth over your stew pot does the same work. It is a dish for a crowd and an afternoon, which is exactly what a race weekend at home is for.

The lamb and vegetable broth

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) bone in lamb shoulder or neck
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter or smen
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ras el hanout
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 large ripe tomato
• 10 cups (2.4 liters) water
• 3 medium carrots
• 2 medium turnips
• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) chickpeas
• 2 medium zucchini

Method

1. Set the pot over medium high heat and add the olive oil and the butter or smen. When the butter has melted and stopped foaming, add the lamb pieces in one layer and leave them alone for 3 minutes, then turn and brown the other sides for 3 to 4 minutes more. If they do not fit in one layer, brown them in two batches.
2. Turn the heat to medium. Add the grated onion and garlic and stir for 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the paprika, black pepper, ras el hanout and salt and stir for 30 seconds, then stir in the tomato paste and grated tomato and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the water, scrape the bottom with the wooden spoon, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down so the broth bubbles gently, set the lid half on, and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Add the carrots, turnips and chickpeas. Keep the broth bubbling gently and start steaming the couscous above it now (see the next component). Simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add the zucchini and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes more. Taste the broth and add salt if it needs it. The lamb is safe once it reaches 145°F (63°C), but for this dish it should go far beyond that, until it is falling off the bone.

The steamed couscous

Ingredients

• 3 cups (500 g) medium couscous
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) lukewarm water
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter or smen

Method

1. Put the couscous in the big bowl and drizzle with the oil. Rub the grains between your palms for a minute so every one is coated. Stir the salt into the lukewarm water, then sprinkle about 3/4 cup (180 ml) of it over the couscous a little at a time, raking through with your fingers as you go. Leave for 10 minutes.
2. If you have no couscoussier, line the colander with a double layer of cheesecloth and set it on the stew pot. If there is a gap between colander and pot, wrap the twisted damp kitchen towel or a strip of foil around the join so the steam is forced up through the grain.
3. Rub any lumps in the couscous apart with your fingers, then tip it gently into the steamer basket without pressing it down. Wait until you see steam rising through the top of the grain, then steam uncovered for 15 minutes.
4. Tip the hot couscous back into the big bowl. Let it cool for 2 minutes, then sprinkle over the rest of the salted water a little at a time while raking with a fork, and then with your fingers once it is cool enough to touch, rubbing out every lump.
5. Return the couscous to the steamer over the stew, again without pressing it down. Once steam rises through the top, steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Tip the couscous into the bowl, scatter over the butter or smen, and toss with a fork until it melts and coats the grain. Cover with a towel and leave for 5 minutes while you lift out the lamb and vegetables.

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