Moroccan Seffa Sweet Steamed Couscous with Almonds

What you need

• 500 g (2 3/4 cups) fine couscous
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 850 ml (3 1/2 cups) water, divided
• 150 g (1 cup) raisins
• 150 g (2/3 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tbsp orange blossom water
• 60 g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar, plus more for decorating
• 150 g (1 cup) blanched almonds, toasted or fried until golden, chopped
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• cold milk, for serving

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Soak the raisins in boiling water for 1 hour, then drain.

2. 2

   Put the couscous in a wide bowl, drizzle with the oil and rub the grains between your hands to coat them.

3. 3

   Sprinkle over 350 ml of the water and the salt, mix and leave for 10 min to absorb.

4. 4

   Bring water to a boil in the base of a couscoussier or a pot fitted with a steamer basket.

5. 5

   Rub the couscous to break up lumps, tip it into the steamer basket and steam uncovered for 20-25 min, timed from when steam rises through the grains.

6. 6

   Tip the couscous back into the bowl, sprinkle with another 350 ml of water, a third of the butter and 1 tbsp orange blossom water. Rake it with a fork, then rub out lumps once cool enough to touch.

7. 7

   Steam the couscous again for 20-25 min.

8. 8

   Return it to the bowl, add the last 150 ml of water, another third of the butter and orange blossom water and the raisins, and rub the grains apart again.

9. 9

   Steam a third time for 20 min, until the grains are tender and separate.

10. 10

    Tip the couscous into the bowl and work in the remaining butter and orange blossom water with the sugar until it is light and fluffy.

11. 11

    Mix in half of the almonds, then pile the couscous into a tall dome on a serving plate.

12. 12

    Decorate with lines of cinnamon running from the top down, the remaining almonds and a dusting of sugar.

13. 13

    Serve warm with glasses of cold milk.

Imported from la-cuisine-marocaine.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.