Kusksu (Libyan Couscous with Spicy Beef and Vegetables)

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound stewing beef cut into four pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oil for frying
• 1 large onion (, halved and cut in half rings)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves (, finely chopped)
• 2 medium potatoes (, peeled and halved)
• 2 carrots (, halved)
• 8 ounces pumpkin or yam (, cut into four chunks)
• 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon hot chili powder
• 2 tablespoons hararat (, see recipe below)
• 1/3 cup tomato purée
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups beef broth
• oil for frying
• Couscous
• Hararat Recipe:
• 2 cinnamon stick broken into 4 pieces each
• 4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 red chilies
• 1 teaspoon allspice berries

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1To make the hararat: Heat a large non-stick frying pan then add the spices. Toast for about 4 minutes stirring frequently, until the spices become very fragrant. Transfer to a bowl to let cool. Grind in a spice or coffee grinder. Store in an air-tight jar until ready to use.
2. 2Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and fry the beef until nicely browned on all sides. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.Add the chili powder, hararat, tomatoes, tomato puree, beef stock, salt, and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.Add the vegetables and garbanzo beans, return to a boil, reduce, cover and simmer for another 40 minutes until until the vegetables and beef are tender and the sauce has thickened.
3. 3To serve, add the couscous to a serving platter, arrange the meat and vegetables on top then ladle the tomato-based sauce over everything.