Allan & David: Happy Thanksgiving from Morocco!

We may not be eating Turkey or Tofurky with you, but we will be thinking of you and giving thanks for you in our lives. We, of course, will be eating national dishes of Morocco; Vegetable Couscous and Moroccan Lentils, accompanied with Khudz (a small, round, flat, yeasted wholemeal bread). Recipes below, from our personal Cooking Instructor, Layla. (Scroll down to see pictures of our cooking class with Layla, and a picture of where we bought our Khudz bread.)

A Mint Tea toast to you all!

With lots of Love, Allan & David

The following are Layla's family recipes, handed down for generations. Layla cooks with a pressure cooker to speed things up, but since some of you may not have one, we adapted her recipes for stove top (using canned beans), and also reduced the amount of oil to 1/4 what she used. (The Moroccans love oil!) Don't be intimidated by the high level of spice. It all works out to be delicious!

MOROCCAN LENTILS (Aladess in Arabic)

Serves 8

2 cups uncooked brown lentils

1 red onion, diced

1 tomato, shredded, skin removed

2 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 tsp cumin

3 tbl paprika

1 tbl salt

1/4 cup oil

dash saffron (optional)

10 cups water

Stir together all ingredients in a large soup pot, except water, until well mixed. Add water, stir again. Bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer for about 1 hour. Remove lid and let simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced, as desired.

MOROCCAN COUSCOUS

The traditional way to cook couscous involves steaming it in a special couscous steamer. It would be far easier for you to just buy a box of couscous, and follow the directions outlined....as we suggest here.

Serves 8

The Veggies and Broth:

2 cans garbanzo beans
2 red onions, cut in half then sliced thin

1 large tomato cut into 8 wedges

1 1/2 tbl black pepper

3 tbl powdered ginger

1 small bunch cilantro, tied with string

dash saffron (optional)

1/4 cup oil

1 tbl salt

4 cups water

Place all ingredients in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, covered. Then add:

4-5 med carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 turnips, sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 zucchini, sliced 1 inch thick

2 potatoes, cut into large chunks

Add 12 cups water, or until veggies are covered by an inch or two if water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes, or until veggies are soft but not mushy. Remove cilantro. Meanwhile make couscous as directed.

The Couscous:
1 box couscous, or 2 cups bulk

Follow the directions on the box. Once ready, fluff with fork and add salt and a few tablespoons of oil. Mix well.

To serve:

Spread couscous on platter. Arrange vegetables and broth on top. Serve Moroccan Lentils on the side. Enjoy!