On Fridays, after midday prayers, households across Morocco gather around one great platter: a domed mound of couscous, the meat buried in a hollow at its center and vegetables leaning against the sides like the spokes of a wheel. Couscous with seven vegetables is also called couscous bidaoui, which means couscous of Casablanca, the city whose Ain Diab circuit hosted the Moroccan Grand Prix. The seven change with the season and the cook, but onion, carrots, turnips, zucchini, cabbage, pumpkin and chickpeas are the usual company, and seven is held to be a lucky number, which is as good a reason as any to keep counting.

The grains are not boiled but steamed, twice, over the simmering stew, so they drink in its aroma and stay light and separate. Supermarket couscous is already precooked, but steaming it this way transforms it from a side dish into the main event. It is a long, mostly hands off cook, ideal for a weekend when the race starts after lunch and the table seats more people than usual.

The lamb broth

Ingredients

• 2 lb (900 g) lamb shoulder or neck on the bone
• 2 medium yellow onions
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 small pinch saffron threads
• 1 small bunch fresh cilantro and flat leaf parsley
• 10 cups (2.4 liters) water

Method

1. Put the lamb, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, ginger, turmeric, pepper and salt into the stockpot. Crumble in the saffron. Set over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, turning the meat every few minutes so it is coated in the spiced oil.
2. Add the water and the herb bundle. Bring to a boil over high heat, skim off any gray foam with the ladle, then turn the heat down to medium low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

The seven vegetables

Ingredients

• 4 medium carrots
• 2 medium turnips
• 1/4 small green cabbage
• 3 medium zucchini
• 1 lb (450 g) pumpkin or butternut squash
• 1 can (15 oz, 425 g) chickpeas
• 1 small hot green chili

Method

1. After the hour, add the carrots, turnips and cabbage to the broth. Push them under the liquid, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Add the zucchini, pumpkin, chickpeas and the whole chili if using. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes more. Taste the broth and add salt if needed.

The steamed couscous

Ingredients

• 3 cups (about 540 g) medium grain couscous
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• about 2 cups (480 ml) cold water
• 2 tablespoons butter or smen

Method

1. Start this while the broth has its first hour. Tip the couscous into the wide bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and rub it between your palms so every grain is coated. Sprinkle over 1 cup (240 ml) of the cold water, a little at a time, raking the grains with your fingers like a comb. Leave for 10 minutes.
2. Set the colander on top of the simmering stockpot. If there is a gap between them, wrap the damp towel around the rim of the pot where they meet, so steam is forced up through the colander rather than escaping at the side. The bottom of the colander must not touch the broth.
3. Tip the couscous loosely into the colander without pressing it down. Do not cover it. Steam for 15 minutes, timing from when you see steam rising through the top of the grains.
4. Tip the hot couscous back into the bowl. Sprinkle with the salt, 1 tablespoon of oil and about 3/4 cup (180 ml) of cold water, raking with a wooden spoon at first and then with your fingers once it is cool enough to touch, rubbing out every lump. Leave for 10 minutes.
5. Return the couscous to the colander and steam for another 15 minutes, again timed from when steam appears through the top. This should coincide with the vegetables finishing.
6. Tip the couscous back into the bowl, add the last tablespoon of oil and the butter or smen if using, and rake it through until it melts. If it still seems dry, sprinkle over a ladle of the broth.

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