Monday, May 25, 2009

Spicy Chicken Couscous with Rose Harissa

Chicken couscous with Belazu rose harissa / Maitsev kanakuskuss harissaga

Here's a lovely, and rather fiery, chicken couscous that I made on several occasions earlier this year. The chicken is first marinated in a yogurt-harissa mixture, then gently cooked in the same marinade, before mixed with couscous and some additional ingredients. It's got plenty of taste, good texture and it's definitely not dry - a problem I find with so many couscous dishes and couscous salads.

I used Belazu's Rose Harissa - a rather expensive, but very tasty British harissa paste available in deli shops. But I'm sure your regular harissa would work, too.

Spicy Chicken Cous-Cous with Rose Harissa
(Maitsev kanakuskuss harissaga)
Serves 6

500 g chicken breast or thigh fillets
200 g plain yogurt
1 heaped tsp Rose Harissa paste

CousCous:
300 ml water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
250 g medium-grain couscous
2-3 Tbsp butter

In addition:
250 g cherry tomatoes
handful of spring onions (white and light green parts only)
handful of fresh coriander/cilantro

Cut the chicken pieces into small strips (about an inch long and 1 cm wide). Fold harissa into the yogurt, then throw in the chicken pieces, stirring, so all chicken pieces are covered with marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for an hour.

Prepare the couscous. Heat the water, salt and oil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and whisk in the couscous. Cover the saucepan and leave for 2-3 minutes. Return to the heat, add the butter and heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and keep covered.

Take a small frying pan, add a splash of oil, rinsed cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until the cherry tomatoes are hot. Add to the prepared couscous and cover again. /No need to stir at this point/.

Take a large frying pan and dip in the chicken strips with the marinade. Heat over a moderate heat for 7-8 minutes, until chicken pieces are cooked through and the marinade hot. Pour over the couscous.

Stir the whole lot gently with a large spoon, then scatter chopped spring onions and coriander leaves on top.

Serve.

9 comments:

Finla said...

I would love to have this, fiery it might be but i like that way.

Stan Hubbs said...

Just wanted to know if you would be open to selling advertising on your blog to related food stores. If yes, please get in touch with me as I would be interested in buying an ad. I could not find an email address on your blog which is why I am commenting here. Please feel free to delete this comment. Thank you!

Pille said...

Stan, my email is visible under the profile link.

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

Is Rose the brand name, or does this harissa really have rose in it? I love harissa -- the heat is completely addicting -- so will have to try this dish.

Karima said...

päris vahva versioon kuskussile
kindlasti väga maitsev
kuis meie pere armastab õiget varianti nagu tuneesias tehakse

Pille said...

Lydia, the brand name is "belazu", and yes, the harissa does include rose petals, as well as many other spices (Read more here).

Karimake - ma usun, et traditsiooniline Tuneesia kuskuss on väga maitsev :) Aga kuskussiga saab teha sadu ja tuhandeid erinevaid toite, nii et retseptiideid jagub kõigile!

Karima said...

kahju et ma kaugel olen muidu teeks ja kutsuks su maitsema
aga kui peaksid pariisi tulema anna teada kui soovi on

Cook said...

I have made this dish a week ago and it is absolutely wonderful :)

Georges said...

Bonsoir! Pille,
Votre recette de Couscous m'a beaucoup interesse : je vais l'adopter dans ma cuisine.
Je suis francais, ma mere a vecu en Tunisie: donc le couscous est pour moi un plat familier.
Resident deduis des annees en Australie, et dernierement a Adelaide, je suis reduit a utiliser en guise d'Harissa la pate de piment de "Sambal Oleck" que je trouve delicieux. Faut - il y ajouter des petals de rose? ou alors de l'eau de roe? pour le raprochementd de l'original"Rose Harissa?
Merci! Jojo labricole.