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Moroccan fish couscous (seksu bel hout)
كسكس بالحوت (seksu bel hout): couscous steamed over tomato broth and topped with chermoula fish
Along the Atlantic coast in Safi and Essaouira, the Friday couscous is often made with the morning's catch rather than lamb. Firm white fish steaks are marinated in chermoula, then gently poached on top of a tomato and vegetable broth while the couscous steams above it, so everything takes on the scent of cumin, paprika and coriander. Serve the fish and vegetables over the grain with plenty of broth. The usual mistake is adding the fish at the start; it falls apart and goes dry. It needs only the last 10–12 minutes. Chef's tip: lay a few lemon slices under the fish in the pot; they keep it from sticking and lift the broth.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the chermoula
- 2 lb firm white fish steakse.g. hake, sea bream or monkfish, about 3 cm thick
- 4 garliccloves, crushed
- 1 oz fresh corianderfinely chopped
- ⅔ oz flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 lemonjuiced, plus 1 more sliced for the pot
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
For the broth and couscous
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionsliced
- 4 tomatoesgrated
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 carrotshalved lengthways
- 2 courgettesthick sticks
- 1 green pepperstrips
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.2 litre water
- 1 ⅛ lb medium couscous
- 1 ¼ cups watersalted
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (9)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 4 garlic, 1 oz fresh coriander, ⅔ oz flat-leaf parsley, 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp sweet paprika, ½ tsp chilli flakes, the juice of 1 lemon, 3 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Keep 2 tablespoons aside for the broth.
5 minStep 2: Coat 2 lb firm white fish steaks all over with the rest of the chermoula, cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 4: Moisten 1 ⅛ lb medium couscous with a third of ½ cup water, rub between your palms and set it in the steamer top over the broth.
5 minStep 5: Steam for 15 minutes from when steam rises through. Tip into a bowl, sprinkle with another third of ½ cup water and break up the lumps.
15 minStep 6: Add 2 courgettes and 1 green pepper to the broth and return the couscous to steam again.
5 minStep 7: Lay the lemon slices and then the marinated fish in the simmering broth. Cover the steamer top and cook until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily with a fork.
12 minStep 8: Rub the rest of ½ cup water into the couscous if it still feels firm. Mound the grain on a platter, arrange the vegetables and fish on top and spoon over broth.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does moroccan fish couscous (seksu bel hout) take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fresh coriander?
- Flat-leaf parsley with a little mint (for people who dislike coriander too).
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