Couscous with Osban

Name: Couscous with Osban
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: North African
Ingredients: 2 cups dry semolina couscous; 4 stuffed Osban sausages (Recipe #54); 1 onion; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tbsp harissa; 1 cup chickpeas; carrots; turnips; zucchini; pumpkin; tabil; olive oil; salt

Steamed Tunisian semolina couscous served with tender Osban (stuffed tripe sausages) and slow-cooked vegetables in a rich, red tomato-harissa sauce.

3 hoursYield · 10 servingsRegion · Djerba

Ingredients

What you’ll need

2 cups dry semolina couscous
4 stuffed Osban sausages (Recipe #54)
1 onion
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp harissa
1 cup chickpeas
carrots
turnips
zucchini
pumpkin
tabil
olive oil
salt

Method

How it comes together

1
Place the Osban sausages, chopped onion, and olive oil in a couscoussier pot over medium-high heat (350°F / 175°C). Add tomato paste, harissa, chickpeas, tabil, salt, and 6 cups water. Simmer on medium-low for 45 minutes.
2
Add hard vegetables (carrots, turnips). Dampen couscous with oil/water and steam in the top basket for 15 minutes.
3
Fluff couscous. Add soft vegetables (zucchini, pumpkin). Steam couscous a second time for 15 minutes.
4
Mound couscous, arrange Osban and vegetables on top, and drench with the hot red broth.

Accuracy note

The osban both cooks in and seasons the couscous broth. Handle the filled casings gently to prevent rupture.

Chef’s note

Poke the Osban with a toothpick before boiling so the rice inside steams perfectly without bursting the tripe.