Couscous: Morocco's Friday Feast

Couscous is a staple of Moroccan cooking and the traditional dish for Friday lunch, the Muslim holy day, when families gather to share a large platter. Made from steamed semolina granules, it is light, fluffy and mild, and serves as a bed for vegetables, meat and a rich broth. A proper couscous is steamed several times in a pot called a couscoussier, rubbed with butter or oil between steamings, and then served in a mound with the stew on top. The process takes hours, which is why many restaurants only serve it on Fridays or by order.

The classic version, called couscous with seven vegetables, is topped with lamb, beef or chicken, together with carrots, zucchini, turnips, cabbage, pumpkin and chickpeas, cooked in a fragrant broth. A sweet version, called seffa, is made with butter, cinnamon, powdered sugar and raisins, and is served at celebrations. Another popular topping is caramelized onions and raisins, known as tfaya, which gives the dish a sweet-and-savory finish. Couscous is usually eaten with a spoon from a shared platter, often using the right hand to shape small balls.

Many small restaurants in the medina serve couscous on Fridays and sometimes as a daily special. Riads and guesthouses often offer a Friday couscous dinner, and some cooking classes teach how to prepare it. Ask your host for a recommendation, because the best couscous is often found in simple family restaurants away from the main tourist squares. A plate costs about $6 to $10 in a local restaurant and $14 to $22 in a more upscale venue. It is filling, so one dish can feed two light eaters.