Lebanese Couscous with Chicken

MOGHRABBIYEH ‘ALA D’JAJ

LEBANON

Often wrongly called Israeli couscous, moghrabbiyeh, which means “North African” in Arabic, is the Lebanese version of the North African m’hammsa, which is the larger grain couscous. In Lebanon, you can buy moghrabbiyeh dried or you can buy it freshly made, but in the United States only the dried variety is available. Unlike the many variations of North African couscous, which is served either sweet or with different meats or vegetables, moghrabbiyeh is always prepared in the same way and the only variation is that some people serve it with both chicken and lamb, while others make it with only chicken. And in Tripoli, in the north of Lebanon, moghrabbiyeh is made into a sandwich, but only with chickpeas and baby onions. This version uses both chicken and lamb, but you can also make it with one or the other. If using only one type of meat, just under 4½ pounds (2 kg) is needed. The flavor will not change, except if you use lamb only, it will be more meaty.

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 whole chicken (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg)

10½ ounces (300 g) lamb meat from the shanks, cut into medium pieces

2 cinnamon sticks

Sea salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more as needed

16 baby onions, peeled (about 1 pound 2 ounces/500 g total)

2½ cups (500 g) dried moghrabbiyeh

4 tablespoons (60 g) unsalted butter

⅓ cup (75 g) canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper

1. Put the chicken in a large pot. Add 5¼ cups (1.25 liters) water. Put the lamb in a medium pot and add 2½ cups (625 ml) water. Place each pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. As the water is about to boil, skim any froth from the surface, then add 1 cinnamon stick and 1 tablespoon salt to the chicken and 1 cinnamon stick, 1½ teaspoons salt, and the ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the lamb. Reduce the heat to medium under both pots and let bubble gently for 1 hour. Fifteen minutes before the chicken is done, add the baby onions. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until both chicken and onions are tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium pot of boiling water, cook the moghrabbiyeh over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain. Melt the butter in a large pot over low heat. Add the cooked moghrabbiyeh and sauté in the butter until well coated.

3. Add the chickpeas and about ½ cup (125 ml) chicken broth to the moghrabbiyeh and sauté over medium heat, stirring all the time. Keep adding a little more broth and cooking the moghrabbiyeh as if it were a risotto until it is done to your liking and most of the broth is absorbed.

4. Drain the chicken and onions, collecting the broth in a medium bowl. Drain the lamb, discarding the broth or reserving it for another use stored in a covered glass jar or bowl in the freezer. Add the onions and lamb to the moghrabbiyeh. Mix carefully. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding the pepper and more cinnamon and salt if necessary.

5. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and cut into 4 or 8 pieces. Keep warm.

6. Transfer the moghrabbiyeh to a large serving platter. Arrange the chicken pieces on top. Serve hot with more broth on the side.